


RWBY: Evolution

by JCJx83



Category: RWBY
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-24
Updated: 2018-05-20
Packaged: 2019-04-07 06:03:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 27,859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14074506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JCJx83/pseuds/JCJx83
Summary: The world of Remnant is an ever evolving place. As team RWBY graduates and begin their lives as fully fledged huntresses they quickly learn that in order to survive they must evolve.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this is a fic I started a few years ago but never finished and eventually deleted from Archive. Well I got my girlfriend into the show and rewatching it with her got ideas flowing again. So, with her as my beta, I'm bringing it back! Hopefully you guys enjoy it!

_"It is my great honor to present to all in attendance, this year's Beacon graduating class!"_

Those words, along with the thunderous applause that followed, had reverberated within both sets of Blake Belladonna’s ears for the past five hours. Even now as she walked out onto the roof of Beacon's auditorium, the old metal door closed behind her with a  _thud_.

The night was cool, unusual for a summer night in Vale, but welcome all the same. The cooled air caused the young huntress to shiver slightly. She walked to the edge of the roof, the moon and the stars her only source of light on the cloudless night.

They had done it, they had  _finally_  done it. All of the blood, sweat, and tears had finally paid off. Team RWBY had graduated.

A smirk played across Blake's lips as she thought back to the moment.

Weiss had burst into joyous-tears as Ruby excitedly pounced on her exclaiming,  _"We did it! We did it!"_  Yang, always the boisterous one, had let out a roar of such volume that Blake had to flatten her cat ears to keep from suffering permanent damage. Blake, for her part, had merely bowed her head in an attempt to hide the unshed tears that had welled in her eyes. That hadn't lasted long, as Yang much like her sister had done to Weiss, jumped the young Faunus pulling her into a patented  _Yang hug._

The graduation party kicked off shortly thereafter. Giving all of the freshly graduated huntsmen and huntresses just enough time to go and change from their gowns into attire more fitting for the festivities and get to auditorium.

Blake sighed as she sat down on the edge of the building, the gray-stone still warm from the sun's golden rays. Having settled onto her perch-she resumed her activity of gazing out over Beacon's illustrious campus, she watched as the grounds lights flickered to life, adding to the moons pale illumination.

She smiled as her ears picked up a _bang_  from below. No doubt another of the party favors had finally popped. _The perks of being a Faunus,_ the careless thought flitted through her mind as she studied the courtyard below. She couldn't remember just how many times she committed the circular heart of Beacon to memory but, just like all of the times before she didn't care to.

From its center it extended out one-hundred and fifty yards in every direction. Stone and grass triangle sections alternated in the middle, making it look like a, "giant pizza," according to Yang. That, was something that even Blake had to agree, from this angle anyway _._  Spaced out evenly along its edge were massive granite-pillars that were inlaid with some of the most delicately detailed stonework Blake had ever seen. What was at the center was what really stole the show though. The storied three-tier fountain turned what was already a beautiful sight into something truly breathtaking. She let herself get mesmerized as the water cascaded down the three-tiers.

Next to her team's dorm and the small study-nook she had discovered in the library during her first year, this was her favorite place in the whole school. She wasn't sure why, but something about the rooftop overhang provided the Faunus with complete peace of mind. This at the moment was something that she sorely needed.

As joyous as the occasion of them graduating was, it brought with it a myriad of questions that Blake - despite having read every similar scenario ever printed - had no idea how to answer. What was worse, she didn't even know how to  _ask_  some of them.

What would the team do?

Would they go their separate ways?

Would they stay together?

Would she end up alone?

She shook her head at the last one, throwing it from her mind. She refused to believe that that would happen, but still. Those questions had been haunting the fringes of her mind for quite some time.

She dropped down from her perch, choosing instead to lean back against the small retaining wall. Blake curled into a ball, her arms wrapped around her legs as her chin rested atop her knees.

"This was supposed to be the  _easy_ part." She whispered the words to herself as she stared at the ground.

From the moment Blake had stepped off the airship that had brought her to Beacon on that fateful day four years ago, she had had a plan. The plan was simple: train, learn, and  _survive._ _Do that_ until she graduated, and then she'd vanish back into the world to help those who couldn't help themselves. Unfortunately for Blake, fate had had another idea, one that involved; red, white, and  _yellow_.

When Blake had learned that she would be assigned a team, let alone a partner, she hadn't really cared. If anything, she thought it to be a mild inconvenience having to deal with three other people for the duration of her stay. It would be easy enough for the rogue to handle though; she'd keep them at arm's length, never letting them get close. Always keeping them in the dark about herself and her even darker past, and she would never,  _ever_ , reveal to them that she was a Faunus.

 _That didn't last long._  The thought pulled a forlorn smile to her face as the memory of the team's first semester ran through her mind.

All it had taken was the argument with Weiss, in which she revealed the one thing she swore she never would, to bring her entire plan crashing down around her. At the time Blake had feared that it was all over. She had just admitted that she was a Faunus and an ex-member of the White Fang, to a _Schnee_ no less. So she did the only thing she could think of, she ran.

That was surprised for the first time.

They came looking for her. Yang and Ruby she had suspected to do as much. Ruby being the leader of the team and Yang her partner, it was only logical that they would look for her. She had never suspected that the Schnee heiress would come looking or even care. But she did and they had found her.

Having all of them come after her had filled Blake with something she couldn't describe at the time. After having long enough to think back on it though, she finally figured it out. She felt like she  _belonged_ somewhere again and it felt  _good_.

Once they all got back to Beacon they had had a through discussion. During which they agreed, that no matter what their pasts were or what the future held, they would stick together. At least until they graduated, which they had done, just five short hours ago.

Another breeze kicked up, causing Blake's ears to twitch, as she continued to stare at the roof. She had never imagined that by coming to Beacon and training to be a huntress that she would make three of the best friends she had ever had. In fact, if you had told her four years ago that this would happen, she would have laughed in your face. Had you then told her that she would come to see each and every one of them as family. She would have told you to get your head examined. The real kicker would have been if you told her that she would fall for someone who was her complete and total opposite. At that point she would have just turned and walked away, leaving you to your world of 'fantasy.'

But here she was all the same _._ She leaned her head back, gaze turned up to the broken moon that shone above her.  _Why does it have to be over?_

The door to the roof banged open, "Blake, are you up here?"

"I'm over here, Yang." She smiled, as she tended to when she uttered her friend’s name. It wasn't much, just a small upward turn at the corners of her mouth, but it was a smile none the less, one that was only ever associated with Yang.

The smile faded as soon as it came though as the thoughts from earlier stormed back into her mind. While she was certain that what she felt for the blonde-haired beauty had developed into something beyond friendship, she didn't know about Yang. A few seconds later the blonde sauntered up beside the other girl. Blake watched out of the corner of her eye as Yang placed her hands on top of the small wall that prevented her from falling to the courtyard below. She leaned out over the edge, fixated on something.

"It  _totally_  does look like a pizza!" Blake could only roll her eyes as Yang turned to look at her with a massive smile spread across her face.

Normally Yang smiling like that would be more than enough to brighten the Faunus's mood, especially when it was directed at  _her_. Tonight however, her fears and doubts outweighed the rest of her emotions, and it would take more than Yang's sunshine-like smile to pull her out of it.

She was pulled from her thoughts as Yang sat down right next to her, the brawler's left arm reached around Blake's smaller frame pulling her into a loose embrace. Blake could feel her pulse quicken.

"Hey, what's wrong?" The words were soft, demanding, but not in a way that made Blake feel any pressure. She  _knew_. She knew that Yang would sit there with her on the roof until she was good and ready to talk. Regardless of how ever long that might actually be. Yang would be right there, an unwavering source of comfort for the smaller girl.

This had been their relationship for the past four years. Whenever Blake had needed anything, be it; a helping hand, someone to confide to, or someone to take out her frustrations on in a spar. Yang had always filled the role,  _willingly_.

At first she had chalked it up to Yang fulfilling her role of being Blake's partner. After the incident with Weiss, however, she saw it as Yang doing her best to be her friend. After that Blake’s feelings started to take on more than platonic edge however, so she clung to the hope that maybe, just  _maybe_ the reason that she did all of those things was because she felt the same way.

Not that she would ever be so bold as to test that theory. No, if something more was going to happen, Yang would have to be the one to make the first move. Of that much, Blake was certain.

Her eyes darted over to the blonde, who still sat looking at her with a growing level of concern in her lilac eyes. Blake assumed she owed the other girl an answer.

"I'm going to miss this."

"Miss what?"

Blake sighed, "This; Beacon, the team,"  _you._ The last part stayed unspoken. She looked down again.

"So that's why you left the party? You wanted to come up here and…reminisce?"

She nodded, "That and you know my aversion to staying in loud places for too long." She twitched her ears for added emphasis. "What about you? Why did Beacon's number one party girl ditch out of the biggest party of the year?"

"I noticed that my best friend was missing," Yang gave Blake's shoulder a squeeze. "Thought I should come and find her."

 _Friend…_ the word stung much more than it should have. "Oh, well thanks."

"Don't mention it." Yang hummed in response as she rested her head back against the wall. Blake glanced over, noticing that her eyes were closed she allowed herself to take an unabashed look at the desire of her affections.

Yang was without her trademark brown-leatherjacket. Not that Blake could complain, preferring the view that the brawler's yellow tank-top allowed.  _She had probably left it down stairs, Blake reasoned_. The look on Yang's face could only be described as one of utter-contentment. A barely there smile showed at the corner of her lips. With the amount of sweat that covered her skin and clothes it was pretty easy to tell that the blonde had enjoyed the party. Blake had to fight the urge to reach out and swipe at the strands of unruly golden hair that had matted themselves to Yang's forehead.

"Hey, Blake," Yang stirred, causing Blake to blush lightly and look away afraid that she had been caught starting. After taking a second to collect herself she looked back relieved to find that Yang’s eyes had remained closed. "I want you to promise me something."

Blake blinked, "Anything."

Yang finally opened her eyes as she stood up, pulling the Faunus with her. "I'm going to do something and I'd really like it if you promised not to kill me for doing it."

"Okay."

Yang sighed before she took a deep breath. Blake knew what this was; Yang was steeling herself for something,  _but what?_

Yang looked her dead in the eye. "Ready?" Blake nodded, "Okay, close your eyes. Please."

Blake did as she was told, unsure of what to expect. She felt Yang's hands grip her shoulders as the blonde pulled her closer. Her heart skipped a beat as she felt Yang's breath wash over her face. What happened next, however, had her heart beating out of her chest. Yang kissed her.

Blake stiffened; her body completely out of her control. She couldn't move, breath, even  _think_. Her entire being was fixated on where Yang's lips came into contact with her own. Unfortunately Yang pulled away, earning a small gasp from Blake at the loss of contact. She opened her eyes, instantly seeking out Yang's purple ones. She couldn't find them though as Yang was now the one who had her eyes closed.

Yang's arms dropped to her sides as she turned away from Blake. She started to walk away. "I'm  _sorry_ ," the words were whispered, to quiet for a human to hear, but the Faunus easily picked up on them. "I just had to do that once."

Blake was dumbfounded. Yang had just kissed her, actually  _kissed her!_ Now she was walking away like someone had knocked the wind out of her. She replayed the kiss in her mind. Yang had been the one to initiate the kiss, so it was clear that it had been what she wanted, and while it surprised Blake she'd be lying if she said it wasn't what she wanted. 

_Yang didn’t know that._

The realization hit her like a ton of bricks. 

Blake bolted from her spot on the roof on a mission to catch up with Yang. She would be  _damned_  before she allowed herself to screw up the one thing she had wanted with all of her heart for so long. She rounded the corner to the door. Relief flowed through her as Yang stood there with her hand on the handle.

"Yang!" She called out to her partner desperately. Hoping that she would turn around.

She did.

"Look, Blake I said I was sor…" Blake quieted her partner by throwing her arms around her neck forcing Yang's back against the door. She buried her face into the brawler's golden mane, she breathed in deep as she squeezed tight enough to choke the blonde. Yang's lavender scent filled her nose.

She mumbled something incoherently into Yang's collar.

"Uh, come again?" Yang asked confused. Blake removed her head from the crook of Yang's neck.

"I said, _'Do it again_.'" Blake locked eyes with Yang.

"Do what again?"

Blake sighed _,_  "This."

She moved her hands to Yang's face, gently cupping her cheeks as she guided the taller girl to her mouth. This time it was Yang's turn to stiffen as their lips touched, unlike Blake though she quickly recovered and kissed back.

Blake held the kiss until her lungs burned. She pulled away panting heavily. Normally a situation like this would have the rogue blushing furiously, at the moment though she didn't have time to be embarrassed. All she cared about was the blonde girl that stood before her.

She looked up at Yang, and what she saw caused her heart to flutter. The brawler had a smile on her face a mile-wide and it was aimed directly at Blake. That wasn't what had sent her heart fluttering away like a bird though. What caused that was the look in Yang's eyes, the way she was looking at her made Blake feel like she was the most important thing in the world.

This time she did blush as she hid her face back. She hoped Yang hadn't noticed.

"So you can kiss me like  _that,_ but me smiling at you makes you blush?" Yang teased the Faunus. Blake groaned. Luck never was on her side.

"Shut up." Blake wrapped her arms around Yang's torso in a hug. She normally wasn't this bold. She didn't care though; all she wanted at the moment was to be near to Yang. A desire that the blonde seemed to share as she happily returned the embrace.

They stayed like that for a while, both content to enjoy the proximity of the other. Yang rubbed her hand slowly up and down Blake's back, eliciting a quite sigh from her. Blake nuzzled her face deeper into Yang's neck.

"So you like me…I think," Yang stilled her movements as she broke the silence. "And I'm pretty sure you know that I like you, now. So…"

Blake closed her eyes. Yang wasn't going to force her into anything, even if it was something that they  _both_  wanted _._  She looked up into Yang's eyes; she was greeted with a look of  _hope._

Blake's thoughts from earlier came flooding back to her. All of her doubts and fears about what lied ahead, about what would happen with the team, about what would happen with her. All of it, and she didn't care. None of that mattered to her if she got to be with Yang, even if for a moment.

She made a decision.

She kissed Yang again.


	2. Chapter 2

Blake stirred as light hit her eyes. Groaning, she tried to turn away from the bright rays determined to return to the blissful dream she was having. She frowned as a firm weight around her waist held her in place.

Annoyed she opened her eyes; wincing as she was assaulted by the harsh light. Once her eyes had adjusted she turned back to the task at hand, ready to do harm to whatever it was that had robbed her of the most peaceful sleep she had known in years. What she saw gave her pause, however. She wasn't in her bed in her team's dorm, no, she was on the auditorium's roof.

Blake blinked, trying to recall why she was on the roof. She went rigid as the memories of the night before came flooding back. She closed her eyes as her hand drifted towards her waist; towards whatever it was that had held her in place just a moment ago. Finally, they came into contact with something. Blake let out the breath she had been holding as her hand wrapped around the condensed form of  _Ember Celica._

It hadn’t been a dream.

Blake smiled as she became aware of the comfortable warmth that radiated from behind her. She snuggled back against Yang, her ears twitching against the underside of her chin.

"Mn…that tickles." Blake froze as she felt Yang stir, a small blush spread across her face as she felt the other girl pull her closer. "Mornin, Blake."

The greeting pulled Blake from her stupor. "Good morning," she replied as she moved to sit up, Yang didn't stop her this time.

She missed the warmth all too quickly.

Blake took a moment to stretch, her body having gotten stiff from sleeping on the hard tile. She finished as she heard a  _pop_  come from behind her. She turned in time to see that Yang had sat up as well and was currently cracking her neck.

"Man, sleeping on a roof can really getcha." Yang looked at her, smile on her face, "You alright?"

"A little stiff and sore, nothing some stretching and herbal tea can't fix."

Yang smirked, "You and your tea I swear you treat it like a cure-all!"

"Better than you and your energy drinks." Blake fired back, never one to miss a beat.

"Touché."

Silence fell over them, the only sound coming from the wind and the birds as they chirped away the morning.

For once Blake wasn't quite simply because she wanted to be, it was quite the contrary. She had plenty she wanted to say and ask, she just didn't know how to. To say she had enjoyed last night would be an understatement. They hadn't  _talked_  about anything though. All it had been was an impromptu make-out and cuddle session. Something Blake had enjoyed all too well.

She took a deep breath as she pushed the memories of the night before away. She'd have time to look back on them and reminisce she was sure, but  _now_  wasn't that time. Now, as ironic as it was, Blake wanted to talk. She _needed_  to know exactly what it was she had with Yang. Was last night just a fun romp for the blonde or did it mean more to her?

"Yan…" She was interrupted as her scroll started beeping. Blake cursed her bad luck as she fished the device from her pocket.

She glared into the screen as she accepted the call. A second later Weiss's face filled the screen. She did not look happy. "Where have you  _been?_  Is Yang with you?" The heiress wasted no time in assaulting Blake with questions; her shrill-voice matching her frustrated expression perfectly. "Do you have any idea what time it  _is_?"

Blake heard Yang wince from behind her; the rogue glanced over her shoulder towards her partner. "Well, the Princess seems touchy this morning."

"So Yang  _is_  there!" Weiss started again pulling Blake's attention back to her scroll. No doubt having heard Yang's statement. "Do you know just how many times I've  _tried_  calling you this morning Yang Xiao Long? Do you!"

Blake adjusted her scroll so Yang could see the screen as the blonde came to look over her shoulder. "Uh-oh, she's using full na…"

Blake silenced her partner by putting her hand over her mouth. Normally she was fine with Yang pushing Weiss's buttons, sometimes she would even help her if she was feeling devious, but at the moment Blake wanted to speak with Yang.

Privately.

"To answer your questions Weiss; yes, Yang is here with me and we're on campus as for the others the answer is no." Blake kept her tone even. If there was one thing she had learned about dealing with Weiss. It was to always be calm and collected. Something the young heiress currently wasn't.

"Well I hope you're close to the dorm because we're almost out of time!"

Blake squinted at the screen, probing her mind for whatever it was that they had forgotten. She glanced at Yang hoping her partner might shed some light, but the brawler just shrugged.

Blake sighed as she looked back to the image of Weiss on her scroll. "What do you mean  _out_  of time?"

Blake watched as Weiss's expression changed from anger to bewilderment and finally back to anger. She pointed at Blake, "I'd expect the brute to forget about the importance of this morning, but I never expected it out of  _you!_ "

Weiss looked away suddenly as something that sounded very much like a crash came through the speaker. "You  _dunce,_  I told you to be  _careful_ with that!" Blake could swear she heard a faint,  _'sorry,'_  come from somewhere behind Weiss. Ruby had undoubtedly broken another of Weiss's very expensive commodities,  _again._

"Ugh, never mind. Just leave it there and I'll deal with it." Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose. "I swear you three will be the  _death_  of me."

Yang chose this moment to remove Blake's hand from her mouth, "Uh, Weiss. Not that it's not cute listening to you rant and rave, but what's so important?" Yang voiced the question that Blake sorely wanted to know the answer to.

Weiss just sighed. "Its move out day, we have less than thirty-minutes before we're supposed to be at the airship!"

Yang laughed, "Oh, you're right, that is today!"

"You're  _laughing!_ " Weiss screeched through the scroll. "This is the second most import…"

Blake ended the call. She loved Weiss like a sister, but they really didn’t have the time for one of her rants. Not if they were going to get back to the dorm in time. She looked over at Yang, who was busy staring off in the direction of their dorm. 

"Huh…no mushroom cloud yet." Blake laughed in spite of herself, while she normally went along with everyone else and just groaned at most of Yang's jokes; she had to admit that Yang did have a knack for making her laugh. That was one of the things that had endeared Yang to her in the first place. Yang turned back to her, a sincere look in her eyes. "I like when you laugh."

Blake blushed as she turned her face down. Yang complimenting her was nothing unusual; as a matter of fact it was something that the Faunus had gotten used to over the course of their four-year partnership.  _Now_  though.

Now it seemed to carry an added weight. Then again-she imagined many of their normal interactions would now carry an additional meaning.

At least she hoped they would.

She was just about to voice this thought as Yang bounced up to her feet. "Well, I guess we had better get to the dorm." She offered Blake a hand up.

Blake closed her eyes as she shook her head. She should have known that any and all of her attempts at having a meaningful conversation would be thwarted before they even began. She opened her golden eyes back up as she took the offered hand, Yang pulled her up with ease.

"I suppose you're rig…" Blake was interrupted again, albeit happily this time, as Yang gave her a quick kiss.

"I left my coat downstairs at the party last night; I'll meet you back at the dorm." Yang said as she pulled away. She winked at the Faunus as she turned and took off towards the door.

Blake remained motionless as she watched Yang leave; the closing of the metal door was what finally snapped her back to reality. She licked her lips as her hand rose to her mouth. If she focused on it she could still feel Yang's lips on her own. She sighed; this was going to be a  _very_ long day.

* * *

 

The fourth-year dormitory was a-buzz with activity. All of the freshly minted hunters and huntresses ran around in every direction in a desperate attempt to pack up the last of their belongings. Checking and re-checking that they hadn't forgotten anything, lest it be lost forever. All of this in an attempt to pass one final test, a test that required them to leave Beacon, the place that they had called  _home_  for the last four years.

It was a lot like what birds did to their young, Blake mused, when the hatchlings were old enough it's parents would kick it out of the nest leaving it to fend for itself.  _That's what the professors are doing to us; it's our turn to fly._

Blake carefully made her way up the stairs towards the third-floor where Team RWBY's dorm was located. Along the way she dodged several falling suitcases and their owners who screamed past her in a vain attempt to catch their luggage. She shook her head;  _maybe it's an exercise to see who can get out of here alive…_

Reaching her desired floor Blake quickly got off the stairs and stepped into the reasonably safer hall. Well, reasonably,  _might_ be pushing it. The entire hall was packed with young hunters and huntresses as they carried their luggage out of their rooms. Some would set a bag outside only to go back in to grab another – sometimes larger bag. It was chaos.

Blake looked toward the end of the hall where her dorm was located; she could see some of Weiss's pristine-white suitcases already waiting outside the door. Looking back at the mass of bodies before her she sighed,  _why can nothing ever be easy?_

Straightening up she looked back toward the door. She took a deep breath and moved. Despite the closer than tight quarters Blake was able to weave her way through the throng of bodies and personal belongings with ease; her inclination for stealth and speed paying off in dividends.

Blake smirked as she reached her destination coming to a standstill in front of her dorm's door.  _Didn't hit a thing._  While Blake would never boast about her abilities like her yellow haired partner, she did take a lot of pride in being the stealthiest member of the team capable of sneaking up and past anything that she desired.

Pulling her scroll out she unlocked the door and quickly stepped inside. As she closed the door she turned her attention to the room. It was standard for what she had come to expect from a Beacon dorm. Four beds, a bathroom, closet, and one large window in the center of the far wall. There was one feature that made it superior to their old dorms though. It was  _larger_.

While it wasn't  _much_  roomier than the dorm the four girls had shared during their first year; it did have enough space to allow them to not have to resort to gravity-defying bunk beds. Something Blake was secretly grateful for, having lost many hours of precious sleep watching and waiting for Yang's bunk to come crashing down on top of her.

Now when Blake had left the dorm yesterday to attend graduation it had been immaculate; which was a far-cry from what it was now. While it certainly wasn't in as much disarray as the hall and stairs were. Their normally tidy room looked like it had been hit by a hurricane. A hurricane made up of blood red-rose petals.

Clothes and belongings that belonged to all four girls littered the floor, covering it in a patchwork of; red, white, black, and yellow. On top of all that though were hundreds of rose petals, a dead giveaway that one Ruby Rose was near.

Blake watched in astonishment as Ruby darted back and forth from the closet to her red and black duffel bag that lay on the floor. Her cloak and trademark rose petals billowed in her wake. She was just about to reach out to the young girl when Weiss walked out of the bathroom carrying a bag, which Blake assumed, was full of her personal toiletries.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The heiress said as she stowed the bag into a larger white duffel. "You just might  _lose_  your hand."

Blake retracted her hand letting it hang safely by her side. She motioned towards their young leader with her head.

"Why is she flying around like that?" Blake asked as Ruby disappeared back into the closet, a loud  _thump_  echoed from within.

Weiss sighed, "I  _may_  have promised her a box of the finest cookies in all of Vale if she got her packing done first."

Blake just shook her head. Despite growing into one of the most fearsome huntresses to ever attend Beacon, Ruby had maintained many of her childlike qualities; including a borderline  _unhealthy_  obsession with cookies.

A gust of wind mussed Blake's onyx hair as Ruby darted back to her duffel bag.

"At this point I just hope she doesn't hurt herself." Weiss said the concern evident in her voice as Ruby ran back to the closet.

Blake smirked.

"Concerned for your  _girlfriend's_  wellbeing are you, Weiss?" Blake teased the white-haired girl, extracting some revenge for the earlier interruption on the roof.

Weiss blushed and crossed her arms over her chest in a fluster. "Wha-… _no!_ "

Blake chuckled at her teammates attempt at hiding her embarrassment. Despite being in a relationship with the red-tinged girl for the better part of two and a half years, Weiss still refused to show just how much she cared about the girl to anyone,  _except,_  Ruby herself. Which was something that Blake and Yang,  _mostly_  Yang, took advantage of by constantly teasing Weiss about it.

"Relax Weiss," Blake started as she moved to her bed and pulled out her suitcase from underneath. "I was just teasing."

Weiss huffed, "I swear your becoming more like the brute everyday…" She paused. "Speaking of which  _where_  is Yang?"

Blake having already started packing didn't even look at the heiress as she answered the question. "She left her jacket at the party last night, so she went to go get it, she should be here soon."

As if on cue Yang busted through the door startling the black and white themed girls with her presence. Blake regained her composure in time to see Yang slam the door behind her. She watched as the blonde rested her back against the door, her coat clutched in a death grip.

"It's a  _nightmare_  out there!" Yang said as she slid down the door coming to rest at its base.

"Yes, well had you two returned to the dorm last night you wouldn't have had to experience that  _madness_." Weiss mocked before a thoughtful look came over her face. "Speaking of which," She looked between the two girls, a smirk evident on her lips. "Where exactly  _wher…"_

Weiss was interrupted as Ruby, with a final burst of rose petals finally finished packing. "Weiss, I'm done!" Ruby exclaimed as she zipped her overstuffed duffel, the fabric stretching at the seams, she turned to face the heiress. "I was the first one right?"

Blake thanked her lucky stars as Weiss looked away from her and to Ruby; her previous question seemingly forgotten. While being happy with whatever  _it_  was she had with Yang. She was certainly  _nowhere_  near ready to share about it with anyone; at least not until she actually knew what  _it_ was.

Selfish? Maybe, but she had always been one to hold her cards close to her chest. This would be no different.

"What…?" Weiss faltered.

"You said you'd buy me a box of cookies if I finished packing first! Remember?" Ruby whined, putting on her best puppy-dog face for her girlfriend. It should be a  _crime_  to be that adorable.

Weiss sighed again, "Your right, I did. As soon as we get to Vale I'll order them."

"Yay!" Ruby pounced on her girlfriend wrapping her in a hug.

_That's_ _a bullet dodged_. Blake looked to where Yang still sat on the floor. Amber connected with lilac as their eyes met. While Blake was relieved that the question about how she and her partner had spent their night had been forgotten, at least for now, Yang seemed almost… _deflated_  about it. _Maybe she's as confused about last night as I am._  Her heart grew heavy at the thought; she hated the idea of Yang being in any type of turmoil.

Blake wanted to do nothing more than to walk over to the sulking blonde and offer her comfort. Just like Yang had done for her the night before, but it would have to wait. Yang would have to wait just as Blake had to.  _Once we're alone, Yang, I promise._

Blake tore her eyes away from Yang as she set back to packing. A more determined kick to her step. For a few moments the only sounds that filled the room was one of clothes being ruffled, latched being locked, and zippers being zipped.

Blake had just finished packing the last of her books when Weiss's scroll started beeping.

"Oh, dust it's  _here!_ " Blake turned to look at her teammate. Weiss had come to a complete stop in front of the case that would store Myrtenaster on their trip. The rapier protruded from the case, half its length still to be sheathed. Weiss read out loud the message she had received.

"We only have  _ten_  minutes to get to the docks!" She looked up her eyes frantic, "We have to get there  _now!_  Ruby help your sister finish packing, I'm going to go grab a luggage cart!"

Blake watched as Weiss bolted out the door. The heiress displayed an impressive amount of speed that would rival even Ruby; who, for her part had jumped to helping her sister pack.

Having finished her packing, Blake walked over to where Myrtenaster now lay discarded on the floor. She gingerly picked up the weapon, careful not to disturb the dust chambers. She was  _almost_  certain that Weiss had unloaded them, but where dust was involved it never paid to be careless.

She finished putting the weapon in its case, setting it alongside Weiss's other luggage. Blake looked to where the two sisters stood over Yang's bed. Yang was trying to close the latch on her suitcase while Ruby sat atop it in an attempt to force it closed. Blake sighed.  _A long day indeed._

* * *

 

After Weiss had returned with the luggage cart, the girls had quickly loaded it down with all  _twenty-two_  of their overstuffed bags. The additional weight made it so that Yang was the only one of them capable of moving the cart fast enough. At least if they planned to make it to the airship on time.

Getting out of the dormitory had – thus far – proven to be the largest problem. It had required; Weiss, Ruby, and Blake to form a protective barrier around the cart as Yang pushed it from behind. Blake was certain they had broken a few belongings and perhaps some toes as they had gotten out. Once they were outside however, it had been smooth sailing. Well, as smooth as running at a dead sprint with a five-hundred pound luggage cart trailing right behind you could be.

Blake panted for breath as they rounded another corner, the docks finally coming into view.  _Almost there!_  The thought flew through her head as she pushed herself to go faster. If the countdown she had in her head was right they had less than two-minutes to cover the last half-mile. It would have been easy, had Weiss not yelled out from the back of their small group.

"Wait,  _stop!_ "

Blake's shoes skidded across the ground as she slowed to a halt; the action left a long streak in her wake. She took the small reprieve as a chance to catch her breath, her delicate hands coming to rest on her knees as she leaned over. Ruby stopped next to her. Blake looked up at her young leader; the near two-mile sprint seemed to have no effect on the younger girl as she stood straight up not a single sign of fatigue on her face. She wasn't even  _panting_.

Blake was about to comment on the unfairness of that when another loud call rang through the air. "Look out!"

She managed to look up in time to see the luggage-cart barreling straight towards her. She had just enough time to sidestep the cart as it went hurtling past, followed by Yang who was trying desperately to put on the breaks. She finally managed to stop it a few feet away.

Blake watched as Yang turned around as Weiss caught up with the group, her normally purple eyes had just the slightest amount of red to them. She glared at the other girl.

" _What,_ in the heck was that!" Yang exploded at Weiss, small flames danced around her hair. "I almost  _ran_  Blake over!"

Weiss having finally caught up to the group looked between Blake and Yang. "I'm sorry, but you were about to pass our turn." She motioned to the left. "If we had gone past it we never would have made it."

Blake looked in the direction Weiss had indicated; the road to their left led to only one place the airship-charter dock.  _Why there?_

She never got the chance to ask that question as Ruby spoke up from behind her. "Come on guys we have less than a minute to get there!"

Blake watched as their young leader grabbed Weiss by the hand and proceeded to drag her girlfriend down towards the dock. Yang huffed as she turned the cart around and followed after them. She was overcome by an intense feeling of déjà vu. The scene before her reminiscent of the team's first day of classes.

A marathon of unpacking followed by another as they had desperately tried to get to class on time. Blake smiled fondly at the memory.

Her reminiscing was cut short as Ruby called back to her. "Blake, what are you doing? Come on!"

Snapping back to reality Blake took off at a dead sprint, closing the distance in a matter of seconds. "I'm right here, but why are we going to the charter-dock?" She breathlessly asked the question as they continued to run.

Ruby turned her head and winked at the Faunus. "You'll see!"

Blake huffed in exasperation. She should have known better than to ask.

After what felt like an eternity of running they had finally arrived at the dock entrance. Once Yang wrangled the cart to a more manageable speed the four girls entered the massive hanger.

Unlike the public airship docks the charter dock was just that, a single lonesome dock. It was normally reserved for the docking of airships that came to take students out on Beacon sanctioned trips. Be it field trips, hunts, or the unpleasant trip of taking washed out student's home.

Blake looked around as they entered the luggage check-in; she was surprised to see several other teams there filling up the small room. All of them in a rush to get their bags checked in and prepared for the flight to the City of Vale.  _I_ _thought everyone just took the public airships out._

Out.

The word weighed on Blake like a ton of bricks. She didn't know how much longer it would be, but soon she would be leaving Beacon. The place that had become the first true home she had ever known. In an instant all of her worries from the night before came roaring back like an angry Ursa.

"Blake, over here!" The rogue was pulled from her thoughts as Weiss called out to her from a door on the far side of the room. "Quick, we got to go!"

Doing her best to quell her fears she slowly made her way over to Weiss, just to have the heiress usher her through the door closing it behind her. They were now in a long hallway illuminated by a single strip of fluorescent lights that ran all the way down to its end. Where it opened up to what Blake assumed was the actual dock.

Weiss started walking down the hall leaving Blake alone by the door.

"Where are Ruby and Yang?" Blake did her best to keep her worry clear of her voice. If Weiss noticed anything off about the Faunus she didn't acknowledge it as she replied.

"Hopefully they're already on board and waiting for us." Weiss looked back over her shoulder. "What made you zone out anyway? I can't remember the last time I saw you that out of it."

"I was just taking a second to catch my breath." It was a weak answer and Blake knew it. She just hoped Weiss wouldn't push the matter. The further out of her mind she could push her concerns about the future at the moment the better.

The heiress narrowed her icy-blue eyes at the Faunus before she shrugged her slender shoulders and returned her attention forward.

Blake let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding, relieved that Weiss had let it drop. The teammates continued the walk down the hallway in silence.

Entering the dock Blake quickly realized why they had come here. Anchored in the birth was a luxury airship with the Schnee family crest painted on its side. She followed as Weiss lead the way up the ramp and into the ship.

_Never thought I'd be in one of these._  She thought to herself as Weiss led her deeper into the ship and into a larger foyer where Ruby and Yang sat chatting quietly a small table between them.

_So this is how the Schnee's live,_  Blake thought to herself as she looked around the room. It was obvious that no expense had been spared in the airship's construction. While it looked like a normal airship from the outside, save for the white Schnee insignia on its side, the inside was an entirely different story. White-gold inlaid the walls which were painted in the purest sky-blue the young huntress had ever seen.

Ruby must have seen the black and white girls standing there as she yelled out to them; her hand waved frantically as if a distance of several yards separated them instead of the mere few feet that actually did. "Weiss! Blake! Come sit down!"

Blake smiled at her leader's exuberance, aside from the time that Weiss got critically injured during a training exercise; which incidentally, is what lead Ruby to confess her feelings to Weiss. Blake couldn't think of a time that she had ever seen Ruby being truly sad or upset.

Weiss scoffed, clearly not amused by Ruby's antics. "We're right here you dunce we can hear you without you screaming!"

Ruby cowered back a little at the reprimand, as she muttered a much quieter, "Sorry."

"Ah, let her have her fun Weiss," Said Blake as she placed her hand on the girls shoulder.

"You give her an inch and she'll take a mile,  _but,_ if you want to do it. She's your problem." The heiress shrugged her hand off as she turned away heading back the way they had come. She called back over her shoulder, "I'm going to tell the captain we're ready to go. Make yourself comfortable."

Blake watched Weiss until she vanished around a corner before she decided to take her up on her offer. She walked over to where Ruby and Yang were, taking the seat next to her partner she got comfortable.

_Even the chairs are lavish._ Blake thought as she sunk into the supple leather of the seat. Despite having things squared away with Weiss, she still had to wonder just how many Faunus had suffered poor work conditions to make the airship she currently sat in a reality.

Her musings were cut short as the airship started to back out of the dock. The muted whirring of the ships propellers filled the once silent air. The motion caused Ruby to squeal once more. "Oh my god, we're moving!" She exclaimed as she fist pumped in the air. "I can't wait to get to the  _house!_ "

Blake winced as her cat ears flattened on her head. While she loved Ruby's enthusiasm, even she had to admit that sometimes the red girl was a little too  _loud_.

_I guess Weiss was Righ…wait…what house?_

Blake didn't know anything about any house. She looked to Yang, hoping that her partner could perhaps shed some light on the situation.

Yang didn't return the look though. She was too busy looking at Ruby, a questioning look in her eyes. "What do you mean, ' _get to the house?'_ " Apparently Yang didn't know anything either.

Blake glanced back to Ruby, who was now doing her best 'deer in headlights' routine. She shook her head refusing to answer her sister's question.  _So she's hiding something from us. What though?_

" _Ruby Rose_."

It took everything Blake had to not laugh as she watched their normally fearless leader cower at the sound of her older-sister using her full name.

"I…uh…" Ruby's silver eyes darted from Yang to Blake and then back again. " _Weiss!_ "

Blake shook her head,  _Should have known Weiss was involved._   _She's the only person Ruby would keep something from Yang for._

"Really Ruby, must you always scream my name? It gets old after a while you kno…" the word died on her lips as the three other girls looked to where Weiss now stood at the other end of the foyer a tray of refreshments in hand. Weiss narrowed her eyes as she zeroed in on Ruby. She hissed at her; " _You told them didn't you?_ "

Ruby disappeared into her seat, "No…"

A second later the tray Weiss had been carrying appeared on the table that sat between the girls. "I swear Ruby I can never tell you anything." Weiss said as she occupied the seat opposite Blake. She waved at the drink tray, "Help yourselves."

Blake looked over the tray; on it was a mug full of steaming hot tea two tall glasses one filled with milk and the other water. Off to the side stood one lone can of Yang's preferred energy drink.  _All of our favorites._

She grabbed the mug of tea as she nodded to Weiss in thanks. She watched as Ruby took the glass full of milk and leaned over to give Weiss a quick peck on the cheek. The latter's face turning pink at the action. She glanced at Yang from the corner of her eye as the blonde opened her drink and proceeded to chug its contents.

_I wonder if I’ll ever have that…_ Blake could feel her cheeks redden from the thought alone. She looked back to the mug in her hands its hot contents warmed her palms, as a small string of steam wafted up to her nose. She inhaled the tea's bitter-sweet scent as she took a sip of the warm liquid. She sighed as she felt the tea travel to her core a nice warmth spreading through her.

Blake closed her eyes, enjoying the moment. The only sounds coming from the airships engines and the girls soft breathing. She let go of all of her fears and focused on the joy of being alone with her teammates. She let herself get lost in it.

The moment was shattered as Yang belched from beside her. Blake opened her amber eyes in time to see the blonde smash the can in her fists before she set its remains back on the tray.

"So, about this house," Yang prompted the red and white girls.

Weiss sighed as she took a sip of her water. She looked to Yang and then Blake.

"Well it was supposed to be a surprise, but seeing as the cats out of the bag." She punctuated her words by looking at Ruby who just grinned sheepishly.

"Yeah, yeah, we get it. My sister can't keep a secret to save her life." Yang said as she tried to get the conversation back on track. "Now spill."

Blake's ears stood to attention as Weiss started talking.

"Well you see, a few months ago Ruby and I were… _indisposed."_ Blake smirked as Weiss's face turned crimson at the admission. Yang snickered from beside her. " _Anyway,_  we started talking about graduation and what we were going to do after. And well, we discovered that neither of us really had any plans for what to do."

She took another drink as she continued. " _So_ , we came up with an idea."

"And this idea is a house?" asked Yang.

"The house is  _my_  contribution to the idea." Weiss looked over at Ruby. "I'll let Ruby explain the rest."

Blake looked at Ruby as the girl swallowed thickly. "So, like Weiss was saying. We came up with an idea. What if we didn't split up and pursue our own careers, what if we stayed together as a  _team?_ "

Ruby locked eyes with Blake before turning her gaze to her sister, a glimmer of hope in her silver eyes.

"So what your saying is; is that you want to keep team RWBY together; and instead of us having individual careers as huntresses. We have one career as a team?" asked Blake wanting to be sure she was on the same page.

Ruby nodded. "Obviously we wouldn't all always go out on hunts, depending on the scale and the type of Grimm we'd send whoever was best suited to handle it."

Blake had to resist the urge to pinch herself. She was certain she was trapped in a cruel dream and would wake up any second. Ruby and Weiss had just presented her with an option that single handedly quashed all of fears involving their recent graduation. Save one.

She turned her head towards Yang. The blonde was staring down at the table, her strong arms crossed over her chest. Blake knew this look. It was what Yang would do when she was stuck on something.

"What about your obligations to the empire?" asked Yang as she continued to stare off.

_Oh, that's right._ Blake deflated as she remembered Weiss's importance to the continuation of the Schnee Dust Company. There was no way her father would ever allow her to do something like this.

"That won't be an issue." Weiss answered the question with a high level of smugness, almost as if she had been expecting it.

"What do you mean?"

Weiss smirked, "It hasn't hit the media yet but I’ve relinquished my rights to the company to Whitley, my brother.”

“Why would you do that?” asked Yang.

Weiss folded her hands in her lap, a faraway look in her eye.

“The company,” she began, “Has never been what I wanted. That’s why I pushed to come here instead of going to Atlas’s school. I wanted to be as far away from it as possible.” She paused, reaching over to take Ruby’s hand in her own giving it a squeeze. “Then I met you three and it just solidified that fact. Whitley has always been more business oriented, so me giving it up to him made the most sense.”

“So you gave up your rights?”

“Yes.”

“And you could still afford a house?”

“Oh, I still have access to my trust fund.” said Weiss, “While I would prefer not to rely upon it, I am _far_ opposed from using it should we have to. Anyway, when we arrive in Vale they'll be a limo and a trailer ready to take us and our luggage to the house. Anyone who doesn't want to stay can use the airship to go where ever they want, as per my orders to the captain."

"Obviously they'll be a lot more to discuss, but we figured we could do that after we get there and get settled in." Ruby added the thought to the end of Weiss's statement. "Weiss and I are going either way, so it's really up to you two if you come with us."

Blake looked to her partner, who seemed to have fallen into an even deeper trance of thought. She felt a jolt of panic shoot through her. What if this wasn’t what Yang wanted? What if last night had really just been a one-time occurrence? Her mind wasn't allowed to stray any further into negativity as Yang looked at her. Amber met lilac as Yang matched her gaze. An unspoken question resided in Yang's eyes.

Blake had to fight back the tears that prickled at the back of her eyes.  _She's waiting to see what I do._

It took all of Blake's willpower not to tackle the blonde and smother her in a hug right then and there.  _There will be time for that later..._ She turned back to Ruby and Weiss who sat watching and waiting for their decision. Blake smiled as she answered.

“I’m in.”

“Well I suppose I can’t just leave you guys hanging,” said Yang, smirking. “Count me _yin_.”

“Dust, I’m already regretting this.” said Weiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully you all enjoyed this chapter as much as the last one. If you have any constructive criticism feel free to leave it below, I love reading that shit. As always thank you for reading and we'll see you next week!


	3. Chapter 3

Blake sighed as she collapsed back onto her bed. She was done. It had taken three days but she had finally gotten everything unpacked and put away to her liking. Her clothes were neatly hung away in her closet and packed into her bedside dresser; her books proudly lined the floating shelves on the far wall, and _Gambol Shroud_ hung from the plaque that was inset into the wall next to the door.

They had been living out of the house, a simple two story brown stone in the heart of Vale’s residential district, that Weiss had bought and renovated to be, well, not so simple, on the inside anyway. While the outside of the building mirrored the time worn exteriors of its surrounding brothers and sisters the inside of the house had, according to Weiss, been completely gutted and redone.

“I didn’t spend that much,” Weiss had said. “I just did enough to give the interior a much needed facelift into the modern times.”

Having seen the results Blake doubted Weiss’s understanding of the word; _much_. She had to admit she was impressed with what Weiss had done with the place. Weiss had taken elements from all of their individual tastes and combined them into a single seamless design.

Blake’s stomach grumbled. She sat up and grabbed her scroll from where it rested on her night stand. It’s display reading: 11:37PM.

“Guess it’s time for a midnight snack.” Said Blake as she got up and padded to her door, pausing only to put her robe on over her tank top and sweat pants. She left her room quietly and made for the stairs, using the faint moonlight from the windows to guide her way. The smooth hardwood of the floors was cool against her feet.

Once down the stairs she turned to her right and down another shorter hallway that led to the kitchen door. She pushed it open and with a flick of her wrist cut the light on. She walked around the large island and made for the cupboards, a particular food in her mind. She gathered the items she would need and set them on the island. Once done she went to the pantry to fetch the snack itself, her stomach rumbling at the promise of food. She opened the pantry, grabbed her cereal, and headed back to the island, stopping at the fridge to grab the milk on her way. Once back at the island she placed the box of cereal and milk beside her bowl and spoon, pulled a stool out and sat down. She poured the cereal, added the milk, and took a bite.

Blake crunched through the cereal quickly and washed it down with the milk that remained within the bowl, a small bit dribbling down her chin as she drank. She wiped it off with the sleeve of her robe and deposited her dishes into the dishwasher. She was still a little hungry but the cereal would hold her over until breakfast.

With another flick of her wrist she cut the light off and exited the kitchen. Blake was just about to head up the stairs when another, softer light, caught her eye. She turned towards the source of the light, ears swiveling forward to see what she could here. The tell-tell sound of crackling wood entered her ears. Blake could have sworn that everyone was already asleep.

Careful to keep her footfalls quiet she started down the hallway, stopping when she reached the entrance of the living room she looked inside. As she had expected the fireplace was going, a fat log slowly burning within its hearth. The unexpected was the head of unruly blonde hair that faced her.

“Yang?”

Yang startled, her hair whipping round, as she turned back towards the entry way. Her eyes were wide, like a child that had gotten caught stealing from the cookie jar.

“Blake what are you doing up?” asked Yang.

“I could ask you the same thing,” said Blake as she entered the room and walked to the edge of the couch. “Could you not sleep?”

“Not really. I just feel really jazzed, you know?” said Yang, “What about you?”

Blake patted her stomach, “This one wouldn’t quiet down until I ate something.”

Yang laughed, “I know how that goes.”

A silence hung over them for a moment, until:

“So, want to join me?” asked Yang, patting the cushion next to her.

Blake mulled the offer over. It had to be getting close to midnight now and she vaguely remembered Weiss saying something about a client coming to see them in the morning, something she was sure she needed to be well rested for, _but_ …

“Why not,” said Blake, sitting down next to Yang. She leaned into her partner, her head resting against Yang’s shoulder.

“Didn’t expect that,” said Yang.

“Your warm,” said Blake, curling up closer. She closed her eyes, content.

As _nice_ as it was to be curled up next to Yang in front of the fireplace and it was really nice. Blake couldn’t get her mind to stop. The question still bounced around like a ball in a tennis match. She needed an answer to what was happening between then. So with a deep breath and more than a little reluctance, she pulled away from Yang.

“Blake?” Yang looked at her with curious eyes.

“What are we doing, Yang?” asked Blake.

“We’re sitting by the fireplace?”

“ _Yang_ ,” the blonde beauty sighed as she looked towards the fire.

“I figured this was coming sooner or later. I guess with you I should have assumed it’d be the former.” Said Yang.

Blake, afraid she may have pushed too far to quickly said, “We don’t have to if you won’t want to.”

“No,” Yang’s response was quick and precise. “You want to, _I_ need to. Just give me a minute to get my words straight.”

Blake nodded as Yang continued to watch the fire. Time ticked by slowly. Blake watched Yang and Yang watched the flames, until finally:

“I know what it must look like from the outside looking in. I’ve always had a carefree, live fast die fast, attitude about most things, especially when it came to dating. I’ve just never really cared beyond, ‘This person makes me feel happy right now so I want to be with them.’

“With you though it’s different.”

Blake swallowed, “Different how?”

“You don’t just make me feel happy. You make me want to slow down and look at the world. You make me want to sit and think things through instead of just diving in headlong. You being my partner has opened my life up to so many different experiences and ideas that I never would have thought of or experienced otherwise.

“What I’m saying or at least trying to say is that you make me want more, Blake. I know what my dating history is and I know it’s nothing more than words but please believe me when I say that what I _feel_ and _want_ with you is different than what I wanted with anyone while we were at Beacon.”

Yang looked at her then, really looked at her. Eyes wide open and displaying a vulnerability Blake had never seen from Yang before.

“I believe you, Yang,” said Blake, “And that’s what I want to.”

Yang instantly exhaled, “Good, because that’s the best I got.”

Blake leaned over and kissed Yang softly, “That’s all I need.”

As Blake pulled back she caught a glint of something in her partners eyes. She wasn’t sure if it was the fire, their conversation, or what but whatever caused that glint stirred a pleasant warmth to form in her stomach. Before she could say or do anything else Yang moved; easing Blake back until Yang rested atop her. Yang’s hands landed on either side of Blake’s chest.

The warmth had rapidly started to heat up as Blake’s heart thrummed in her chest.

“Yang,” Blake breathed, eyes darting to Yang’s lips, as she licked her own. Yang was _so_ tantalizingly close. Everywhere their bodies touched burned with a warmth that threatened to override Blake’s normally stoic demeanor. If something didn’t happen soon she would combust.

“What is it, Blake?” Yang teased, smirking. “Cat got your tongue?”

Blake grabbed Yang’s face and crashed their lips together. It was rough, needy, and hot, all things Blake needed at the moment. Yang broke away far too early with a giggle. Blake was about to voice her complaint with the action as Yang dipped down, her lips trailing kisses and love bites along the side of Blake’s neck.

“ _Oh_ ,” sighed Blake, eyes closing as she enjoyed Yang’s ministrations. The warmth that started in her abdomen had spread now, encompassing nearly every fiber of her being in a warm, sensual, bliss. Her hands found Yang’s back, nails scratching along her tank top. She felt as much as she heard Yang moan into her neck.

Yang pulled away again. A hunger rested in the depths of her eyes, stoking the fire that had consumed Blake’s body. She needed Yang to kiss her and she needed Yang to kiss her now.

“Please, Yang,” said Blake, her breathing rapid.

“Please, _what_?” questioned Yang, showing a level of self-control Blake didn’t know she possessed. She wasn’t sure if it infuriated her or turned her on even more.

“Kiss me, Yang, please,” pleaded Blake, not wanting to play that game. She canted upwards, shivering, as their bodies pressed together. “Please, _Yang_ , please.”

Yang smiled at her, a gentle hand coming up to cup Blake’s face. “You are so beautiful,” she said, capturing Blake’s lips in a kiss.

Blake sighed into it, her hands tangling into Yang’s unruly mane. Yang’s tongue teased at Blake’s lower lip, asking for entrance. The Fanus happily acquiesced to the request, moaning into Yang’s mouth as the kiss deepened.

They continued on like that for several long, delicious, moments. Blake shivered as she felt Yang’s hands glide down her sides. Yang’s hands continued downward to Blake’s hips where they paused, having come into contact with smooth skin where Blake’s shirt had ridden up.

Dust, Blake wanted Yang to continue. She wanted the blondes hands everywhere, wanted Yang to touch every single inch of her body until ready to explode.

Despite that and despite the immense disappointment she felt as she broke the kiss, she did it.

“Blake?” panted Yang, lips swollen and cheeks flushed. Seeing Yang like that sent another pang of heat straight to Blake’s core. “Did I do something wrong?”

“No,” said Blake, fighting off the powerful urge to kiss Yang again and set them back on their previous path. “I just, it’s stupid.”

Yang tilted her head to the side, rising back slightly, “What is it?”

“I, kind of like the idea of actually having a proper date before we go much further.” She said.

Yang laughed, a genuine smile appearing on her face. She said, “So you want me to buy you dinner first. I can do that.”

Yang laughed again and Blake laughed along with her this time. The blonde’s laugh had always been like a drug to her.

“I guess we were getting kind of hot and heavy there,” said Yang as she shimmed herself down, laying her head against Blake’s chest.

“Uh, Yang? What are you doing?”

“You’re comfy,” was Yang’s mumbled reply.

Blake smiled down at the top of Yang’s head. A new, sweeter, warmth dawned in her chest. _This girl_.

It didn’t take long for Yang to nod off and start snoring. Blake quickly followed her, Yang’s warm weight acting like an old comfortable blanket for the young woman.

* * *

 

"Will you stop being so childish? We need to wake them up!"

_Weiss?_

"I know, but they look so  _cute!_ "

_Ruby?_

_Wait what's cute?_

Blake begrudgingly opened her eyes.

" _Finally,_ one of you is up!"

Blake looked to the sound of the voice. Her sleep addled brain managed to pick out the red and white forms of Ruby and Weiss. Both of whom were fully clothed and standing right beside the couch. Ruby looked like she was about to squeal in delight, while Weiss sported an expression of exasperation. She was about to ask them what it was they were talking about when a third, muffled voice, joined the conversation.

"Quiet please…sleep now."

Her head snapped down towards her chest, where Yang's head was now firmly nestled against her breast. She sighed, knowing they had been caught. It wasn’t that she was embarrassed to be caught with Yang like this. She just wished they could have kept it to themselves, at least for a little while.

"Yang, honey, you really need to get up. I think Ruby and Weiss need to talk to us."

Blake had to bite back a smile as Yang tried to nestle her head deeper into her chest apparently determined to sleep away the rest of the morning. 

"I should have known it would come to this." Weiss sighed. "Blake you might want to cover your ears. Ruby, go ahead."

Knowing full well what was about to happen, Blake brought her hands up to cover the cat-ears that resided atop her head. She watched as Ruby took a deep breath and raised the small whistle she pulled from the chain around her neck to her lips. Blake cursed her inability to cover  _both_  sets of her ears.

Ruby blew the whistle; its shrill-high-pitched-sound filled the air. Blake winced as her unprotected ears were assaulted by the racket.  _You would think that after four years of this we'd be used to it._

The whistle had the desired effect as Yang bolted awake. She jumped off Blake and away from the couch, Ruby laughed as she rolled across the floor.

"Whoa!" She cried as she covered her ears. Her eyes locked onto her sister as her voice took on a threating tone. "Rubes, I swear one of these days I'm going to shove that whistle up your…"

Weiss cleared her throat, silencing Yang from further threatening her girlfriend.

"Well then, now that you are both awake." Started Weiss as she unplugged her own ears. "You should be interested to know that Professor Ozpin is coming  _here_  and should be arriving at any moment!"

Blake sat up on the couch as she looked at Weiss. "Ozpin? But why is he coming here?"

"That doesn't matter! What matters is that he'll be here soon, potentially with our  _first job_ , and here you both are still in your pajamas!" Weiss was red faced after her outburst, her slender shoulder's rose up and down as she breathed deeply.

"Weiss…" Ruby started in an attempt to defuse her volatile girlfriend. It probably would have worked to, had the doorbell not rung.

"Oh dust he's  _here_!" Weiss grabbed Ruby's hand as she bolted toward the door; she barked back at Blake as she rounded the corner and vanished from sight. "Blake take Yang and make yourselves presentable, we'll keep him busy!"

Blake shook her head. There never was a dull moment when Team RWBY was involved, and she wouldn't change that for the world.

"Blake," Blake turned at the sound of her name. She found Yang sitting on the floor staring at her with a mischievous glint in her eye.

_Oh no…_

"Did you call me,  _'honey'?"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter poised an interesting challenge. It is the first chapter in the fic that required a near full re-write in order to fix elements of a certain relationship. Hopefully the new writing doesn't clash to harshly with the old.
> 
> As always if you have comments, constructive criticism, or just want to say hi please leave them below. 
> 
> Until next week, thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay on this one. Had myself a bit of a week. That said to make up for the delay I have a surprise down at the bottom that will hopefully make up for it. Enjoy.

Blake finished buckling her boots and stood from her bed. She walked to where her white tailcoat hung in her closet and threw it on over her black crop top. She flared her hair out as she moved to where Gambol Shroud hung from the wall; she grabbed it by the hilt and carefully slung it over her back. Fully dressed in her hunters garb she left her room and went down the

 “You ready?”

“Ready as I can be,” said Yang as she exited the room, latching her gauntlets onto her wrists. Her coat snug around her.

Together they turned down the hallway and made for the stairs, with Yang in the lead. Once on the first floor they turned down another hall and headed towards the back of the house. Halfway down that hall they came upon a solid looking door, a plaque displaying all of their symbols proudly hung over top of it.

Blake stopped at the door and placed her hand against the wall where Weiss had showed them. A moment later a hidden scanner activated and panned over her palm. Green writing appeared just above her hand: “ _Identity confirmed: Blake Belladonna._ ”

A ding sounded followed by a soft whirring sound. Soon after the door shifted back into the wall and slid away revealing a hidden elevator. Blake and Yang entered the lift as the door slid back into place behind them.

Blake looked at Yang, “Want to do the honors?”

“I thought you’d never ask,” said Yang as she reached over and thumbed the button marked: basement.

The lift shifted as the same whirring sound from before returned, lowering them down into the lower depths of the house. The elevator came to a smooth stop and the door quietly opened, revealing a brightly lit hall.

Yang exited first followed closely by Blake.

If the upper floors of the house could be defined as modern the basement and its facilities would best be described as something out of a science fiction. The walls were constructed out of a matte-steel material, while the floors were made up of a peerless white tile that gleamed from the fluorescent lights that were inset in the ceiling above.

Weiss had sheepishly admitted to perhaps having gone overboard with the renovations of the basement.

“We needed a place to train and meet with clients,” she had said, “I figured it was a good expenditure of money.”

Yang stopped as she reached the end of the hallway, turning back, she waved Blake forward, “After you my lady.”

“So chivalrous,” quipped Blake as she opened the door.

The room beyond was spacious and made from the same materials from the hallway. A long table crafted from cherry oak took up the room’s center. Weiss and Ruby faced them, while Professor Ozpin sat with his back to them.

“Sorry we’re late.” Said Blake, as she rounded the table to take her seat on Weiss’s left while Yang took the seat on her left.

Blake stared across the table at Professor Ozpin. The esteemed headmaster of Beacon Academy sat with his spine straight and his hands clasped in front of him on the table. He looked just the same as he did when she had first met him over four years ago at the team's initiation. If it were possible though, he appeared even more  _intimidating_  now.

_Our livelihood wasn't on the line then._

His short grey hair fell in loose strands down into his chestnut colored eyes. His always present glasses rested precariously on the tip of his nose. The green and black suit that he wore was, as far as Blake could tell, completely immaculate. And most importantly his cane, which rested against the table to his left, was as inconspicuous as ever.

She eyed the  _weapon,_ while concealable weapons were legal and not uncommon in Vale. She couldn't help but wonder if that law would be repelled if more people  _knew_  just exactly what his 'cane' was capable of.

Her train of thought was ruined as Ozpin spoke.

"It's quite the nice residence you four have here." He said as his eyes quickly darted around the room, "This space in particular."

Blake could all but feel the pride that wafted off of Weiss at the comment.

Blake spared a glance out of the corner of her eye at the white-haired girl who sat to her right. Weiss sat ramrod straight with a posture that was as ridged as concrete as her piercing ice-blue eyes stared directly at their former mentor. A small bead of sweat quickly rolled down past her ear where it was absorbed into the collar of her white-pant-suit. Her alabaster hair, which she normally wore in a sideways ponytail, was pulled back and allowed to fall freely down her back.

Blake had to admire just how quickly Weiss had shifted mindsets. Gone was the girl who just a few short minutes ago, was panicking about the prospect of their mentor arriving. In her place was a woman who was there for the sole purpose of conducting business, and she was  _not_  to be trifled with. _I guess there's still some of the 'Ice Queen,' in there._

Beyond her was Ruby who, as far as Blake could tell, was doing everything that she could not to fidget in her seat. Ruby wore a suit that appeared to be a carbon copy of the one Weiss was wearing. Save for the color, which instead was a deep crimson.

She glanced over at Yang, who like her sister was doing her best to sit still. Albeit for a completely different reason, Ruby was obviously nervous. Yang, she could tell, was just  _bored_.

Weiss cleared her throat, "While we thank you for the compliment, your call made it sound like you were coming to discuss a possible venture?"

_Even her voice sounded different, professional._  Blake looked back to Ozpin, who seemed to be struggling to hold back a smirk.

"Straight to the point as always Miss. Schnee," he finally let the smirk out. "Yes, I am here to discuss a,  _venture_ , as you so called it."

Weiss gave a small nod, "And what are the particulars?"

"It's all simple enough. There have been reports of a pack of Beowolves roaming around the edge of Forever Fall. I was hoping that you could scout the area, and if need be… _deal_ with any Beowolves unfortunate enough to cross your path."

Blake felt a shiver crawl down her spine at the mention of that place. Despite its innate beauty she had come to  _hate_  the red forest. Largely due to the fact that it seemed like every time she went there all that came of it was nothing but pain and suffering for the young woman.

She was snapped back to the situation at hand as Weiss spoke.

"That's it?"

Ozpin paused, catching the Faunus's attention immediately. While she would never make the mistake of calling herself the man's friend, she did know him well enough to know that pregnant pauses almost never meant anything  _good_.

"It is." He finally answered.

It was Weiss's turn to be silent for a few moments. Blake was sure the tension in the air could be cut with a knife as Weiss did her best to stare down the man in front of her. The only sound in the room came from their breathing.

After several more tense seconds Weiss broke the silence. "Okay. Now as for payment…"

"Ah, yes." Ozpin reached into his coat and pulled out a small envelope. Placing it on the table he slid it to Weiss. "I trust that that is enough?"

Blake watched as Weiss picked up the envelope, taking a peek inside. Whatever it was that she saw, it caused her to choke.

"I see that it is." Ozpin grabbed his cane as he stood from the table. He bowed to them all. "It's been a pleasure to see you all again."

Returning to his full height Ozpin pushed his glasses up his nose and took his leave.

None of the girls moved until they heard the front door close. Ruby was on top of Weiss in an instant.

"Weiss, are you alright?" Ruby asked her girlfriend as she pulled the envelope from Weiss's smaller hands. "How much is-oh  _dust_!"

Blake smiled at hearing Ruby use Weiss's trademarked exclamation.  _I swear they rub off on each other more and more every day…_

Yang was the next one to grab the envelope, having left her seat she quickly ripped it from her sister's stunned hands she looked inside and pulled out a check. "Huh, ten grand…"

Blake felt the color drain from her face at the sound of the number. It certainly wasn't unheard of for more well know hunter's and huntresses to get paid well over a hundred-thousand lien for some of their more dangerous commissions, but a group of fresh graduates making ten-thousand on their very first? Blake was pretty sure they had a better chance of winning the lottery.

She watched as Yang fussed with the envelope.  _She's not even effected by th-_

"Hey wait there's something else in here!" The blonde exclaimed as she pulled a folded piece of paper out from within the envelope.

Weiss finally seemed to return to reality as she went to snap whatever it was away from Yang. Being the taller of the two, especially when Weiss was sitting, it was simple for Yang to keep the letter away from the white-haired girl.

"Let me see it you brute!" Weiss huffed, clearly more than a little annoyed at Yang's antics.

"Chill your horses princess and I'll read it to you." Yang replied sticking her tongue out at Weiss.

Weiss growled, which caused Blake to grab onto her shoulder.

Blake turned her gaze to Yang, who seemed to be enjoying herself all too much as she slowly unfolded the paper.

" _Yang._ " Blake warned. While she wasn't like Weiss, she had to admit that her curiosity had gotten the better of her. The brawler upon hearing the Faunus's disapproving voice, finally lamented. Blake had to fight to keep the smirk off her face as she heard Yang mumble something about  _'having fun.'_

Yang cleared her throat, " _Dear Team RWBY_." She began, " _I hope that this lien and this mission will help you in your quest to become the huntresses that you were born to be. P.S. Please contact me once you have finished your sweep_."

"Huh," Yang blinked.

"What is it  _now?_ "

"Nothing, there's just a map of Forever Fall with a circle on it on the back of this note." Yang civilly handed the page to Weiss.

"Yes, well," Weiss stared at the papers in her hands, a thoughtful look on her face, before she looked to the clock. "It's just past eleven, the scouting area doesn't appear all that large," She looked to Ruby and then to Blake, "If you two get ready and leave now you can be to Forever Fall by noon and  _done_  by four."

Yang frowned, "Who said anything about doing it today? And why  _just_  Ruby and Blake, why don't we all go?"

" _Because_ , while it didn't seem to have any effect on you ten-grand is a big deal,  _especially_  for a first commission!" Weiss stood and turned on Yang. The former heiress did everything she could to appear larger than the blonde girl. "Yes, Ozpin never mentioned a timeframe, but the sooner we get it done the better. As for why I suggested Ruby and Blake do it, it's really quite simple. They're the fastest! They could cover that ground five times over in the time it took you and me to do it once!"

Weiss did have a point. Blake and Ruby were the fastest members of the team and they had done several scouting missions together before during their time at Beacon. So it was only logical that they go.

“Alright, alright,” said Yang, putting her hands up. “No need to get your panties in a bunch. I was just asking.”

Weiss shrank back a bit, “So it’s decided, Blake and Ruby will go take care of this while the two of us remain here.”

“Sounds like a plan to me!” Said Ruby as she stuck her hand out, “On three!”

The other girls each placed one hand over top of Ruby’s.

“One…two…three…Team RWBY!”

* * *

Blake finished loading the last of her magazines and closed her ammunition locker with a _clang_.  She had filled six magazines in total; two with standard rounds and the others were each loaded with specialized dust rounds courtesy of Weiss. Blake didn’t think they would need them, they were just going after Beowolves after all, but it never hurt to be prepared.

Her ears perked up as the door to the armory opened up the sound followed by a voice.

“Blake you in here?” called Yang.

Blake quickly shoved the magazines into the pouches on her belt and moved out from behind her locker. Yang stood in the doorway, her eyes lit up as Blake entered her view.

“There you are.” Said Yang.

“I had to grab ammunition.” Said Blake, “Not all of us keep our weapons loaded like your sister.”

Yang laughed, but it sounded forced, almost like she was trying too hard.

“Yang, what is it?” asked Blake.

Yang balked, her hands clasping together in front of herself. “What’s what? Nothing’s it.”

“Uh-huh,” said Blake, eyes criticizing her partner. “Then why are you acting so nervous?”

“Me? Nervous? Never.”

“ _Yang_.”

“Alright fine,” Yang’s shoulders slumped. “I might be just a little _nervous_ , okay?”

“Why are you nervous?” asked Blake, curious as to what had gotten under Yang’s skin.

“I’ve always been the one to be asked out,” said Yang, “I’ve never actually been the one to do the _asking_.”

Oh.

_Oh_.

Blake blinked, taken aback by the admission, and more importantly by what it entailed. She forced her tongue to work, despite how tight her throat had just become.

“Are you asking me out?”

“That’s the idea, yeah.”

Blake was to Yang in an instant, her arms wrapping around her, as she kissed her with a smile on her face.

“I’d like that,” said Blake, smile widening, as Yang smiled herself.

“Do you want to try tonight if you’re back in time?”

Blake thought about it for a moment.

“Let’s see how tired I am when Ruby and I get back.” said Blake, “If not tonight, Friday?”

“Works for me,” said Yang.

Blake kissed her again, Ruby could wait for another minute.

Or _two_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Well you did feed it to a Boarbatusk." She couldn't help but make a jab at the girl's expense.
> 
> "I did not!" Ruby argued, "It fell out of my pocket and the Boarbatusk just so happened to eat it!"
> 
> "You know, a lot of your scrolls seem to just fall out of your poc..."
> 
> A little preview of chapter 5!
> 
> As always if you have criticism or just want to scream/leave little hearts as some of you are inclined to do, do so down below. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and we'll see you for next week!


	5. Chapter 5

It was hot, almost unbearably so, as Blake cautiously strode her way through the thick red underbrush that impeded her path. Her eyes and both sets of ears stood on alert for even the smallest sign or sound of Grimm. Needle sharp thorns cut and nicked at her exposed arms and stomach as she continued to push forward. She hissed as some of her sweat found the small bothersome wounds before her Aura could heal them. Blake entertained the thought of taking her coat from around her waist and putting it back on. Of course if she did that she’d be at risk of overheating in the dense forest. The cuts she decided were the lesser of two evils.

She trudged on.

Finally, Blake worked her way out of the thicket she came to the base of a small hill. Glad to be done with the brush she quickly made her way up to the hills crest. Once on the apex she stopped and examined the area of dense forest that was all around her.

Everything was red. From the grass, flowers, bushes, and even the leaves on the trees; that fell in a constant rain like rhythm. It was all bathed in a deep red that all but mirrored the color of blood. It went on like this for miles in every direction.

It always left her feeling unsettled.

"Blake, are you there?" Hearing the sound of Ruby's voice, she pulled her scroll out from its pouch on her belt. Blake and Ruby had been dropped off at the edge of the forest around three and a half hours ago. After quickly splitting the search area up and agreeing to contact the other in thirty minute intervals they had went their separate ways.

Activating the screen she was greeted by a very annoyed looking Ruby Rose. Who was currently distracted by a swarm of Rapier Wasps that were flying all around her.

"Did you find  _another_ nest?" asked Blake, doing her best to stifle a smile. This would be the  _fifth_  nest that the red girl had disturbed.

"Maybe…" pouted Ruby, "I'll be scratching for  _days_  at this rate."

Blake covered her mouth with her hand to hide the smile that had broken across her face. "I wouldn't worry, I'm sure that we can find some form of ointment for you once we get back."

Ruby sighed again as she flicked her nose, "I know," Ruby paused as she looked off screen for a moment before looking back. "You see any signs of those Beowolves?"

"None yet," Blake shook her head, "And I'm almost done with my quadrant."

"So am I." Ruby's brow furrowed, "Odd for Ozpin to send us out here on a goose hunt."

It was a  _very_  odd thing for the headmaster to do.

"He never said how old the reported sightings were," offered Blake. "It's possible that a long enough time has passed that the Beowolves have moved on."

"Maybe," Ruby sounded far from convinced. Not that Blake could blame her; she also had the feeling that something was _off_. "I say we finish up our scouts and regroup. I can see some pretty nasty clouds in the distance. Looks like there might be a storm rolling in, so the quicker we're out of here the better."

Blake nodded, "I'll see you then."

Ending the call she returned the scroll to her pocket, before she turned her eyes to the sky. She could see the clouds Ruby had mentioned moving in against the clear blue of the summer sky. There was a quick flash of lightning. She counted the seconds down.

_One novel, two novels, three nov…_ a powerfully loud rumble filled her ears. It was close.

_That's definitely a storm, a bad one from the sounds of it._

She watched the clouds for a moment longer; a chill ran down her spine as they appeared to get even  _darker_. Tearing her eyes away she moved down the hill. She had an assignment to finish, storm or no.

She held onto a small bit of hope that they could finish in time to outrun the storm. Another even louder rumble found her ears. She knew then that it was a false hope.

* * *

 

"I  _hate_  being right," mumbled Blake as she carefully jogged across the now soggy ground of Forever Fall, her every footfall causing a small splash. Every inch of her being was soaked. It was everything she could to do to keep the water out of her eyes, let alone her ears, not that she could see anything through the thick sheets of rain. Nor could she hear anything over the sound of the wind, rain, and thunder. She cursed her luck as she continued to make her way back to where she would meet Ruby.

The storm had overtaken Forever Fall with the full fury of nature's wrath. The rain that had started to fall when she was a little over halfway back to their meet up point, came down in torrents that rivaled even the most powerful of monsoons. Which was something that not even the thick canopy over her head could protect her from. There was a constant flashing of light as the lightning streaked wildly across the sky. It was always closely followed by a tremendous sound of thunder that had yet to fail in sending a shiver down her spine.

Though, she wasn't really sure if it was the thunder that was causing her to shiver. Or if it was the ever growing feeling that something wasn't  _right_. Blake couldn't put her finger on it but there was  _something,_ something that was filling the air with a dreadful energy. And it  _wasn't_  the storm.

The wind howled.

_I hope Ruby's okay._

Blake hadn't heard heads or tails from the red haired reaper since the rain had started. It worried her. While Ruby had grown and matured over the years the girl, much to Weiss's great displeasure, still had some rather  _impulsive_  tendencies. Like for example; running through a forest full bore in a rainstorm that was currently making the ground as slick as ice. It was all she could do to keep the thoughts of Ruby having horribly injured herself by running through the wet woods out of her head. She had no idea how she'd explain such a situation to Weiss, let alone  _Yang_.

She shook her head,  _its fine. Ruby will be at the clearing, safe and sound, waiting for me._

Why couldn't she believe that?

Her ears flicked as the clouds roared yet again.

Another shiver.

It took several more minutes, but she finally managed to exit the maze of trees and enter into the clearing. Where the rain, without the buffer of the canopy, appeared to be coming down even harder. Stepping out past the tree line she peered through the thick fog of rain, trying to pick out the familiar flash of red that was her friend. The natural red background did little to assist her.

It was like trying to see a needle in a haystack. 

It didn't take her long to realize that even if Ruby were there, there was no way she could pick her out against the back drop of Forever Fall. So, she moved back to the tree line and took what little shelter she could find under one of the larger red oaks, and waited.

Seconds passed.

Then minutes.

She could feel the anxiety as it slowly built a void in her stomach. The longer she stood there the worse the feeling got. Ruby should have been there by  _now_. She checked her scroll. It had been twenty-nine minutes since their last check in.

One minute until their next check in.

The minute passed, no call ever came. Ruby never came. Then another passed and another and another, by the thirty-fifth minute she was dialing Ruby.

_Nothing._

She tried again.

Same result.

She dialed the red head a third time.

Ruby never answered.

Ruby  _always_  answered.

_Something's happened, it has to have._ Blake couldn't remember the last time that Ruby had been late to anything. If there was one thing that the youngest member of the team had absorbed from Weiss over their years of knowing each other it was definitely her  _punctuality_. She was midway through dialing Ruby again when:

" _Blake no_!"

Blake crouched down next to the tree, hand tightly gripping the hilt of Gambol Shroud. She would recognize that voice anywhere. _Ruby_. She scanned the clearing, searching for the other girl, but could see _nothing_. Ruby wasn’t there but she had heard her so clearly it was like Ruby was stood in the middle of the clearing. Yet nothing was there.

“What the dust is going on.”

"Blake!" The voice called out again. Except this time it originated from the clearings edge and not its center.

It was  _Ruby_ , a very drenched and cold looking Ruby, but a Ruby that was, from what she could tell from this distance, very much alive and well. Seeing her young leader returned her control over her body. Blake was up and running towards her in an instant.

Despite the slicker than normal terrain Blake managed to cross the distance in record time. She paused just short of Ruby taking in her waterlogged appearance. Her damp hair stuck to her forehead in clumps, and her normally loose fitting tunic and combat-skirt clung to her like a second skin. As happy as Blake was to be reunited with Ruby she found herself looking away, towards the center of the clearing again. Something was drawing her to that spot, she just couldn’t figure out _what_.

"Blake, are you okay?" asked Ruby.

"Yeah. Just a feeling of déjà vu," said Blake, turning back to Ruby, "I tried calling you three times. Did something happen?"

"Oh, no," Ruby smiled weakly, "I kinda got turned around in the rain and it took me a while to find my way back."

"Why didn't you answer your scroll?" asked Blake.

"Heh, about that…" Ruby sheepishly scratched the back of her head. "It _might_ have bounced out of my pocket and fell into a puddle as I was running back here to meet up with you…"

Ruby looked at her with pouty silver eyes, "Do you think you could maybe not mention that part to Weiss?"

"I  _suppose_  that I could," Blake started as she ruffled the younger girl's hair, "So long as you promise not to scare me like that again."

Ruby knocked her hand away, "I'd really appreciate it. Weiss still gives me a hard time about the last one."

"Well you did  _feed_  it to a Boarbatusk." Blake couldn't help the jab.

"I did not!" argued Ruby, "It fell out of my pocket and the Boarbatusk  _just so_  happened to eat it!"

"You know, a lot of your scrolls seem to just  _fall_ out of your poc..."

That's when she heard it; her ears perked up and turned to the left as they strained to pick up the new sound.

The unmistakable deep and ragged sound of a panting Alpha-Beowolf as it charged. Blake didn't even have to look to know she was right. She had seen and killed enough Alpha's to perfectly picture the creature. It had body that was nothing but lean muscle that would be covered in the blackest of fur, bone spikes would protrude from its arms and down along its spine. Its face would be covered in a similar bone protrusion, which itself would be covered with red lines that resembled war paint. It's most striking feature would be its two blood red eyes that held nothing but malice and hatred for any human or Faunus that it laid eyes on. She could faintly pick out the sound of its razor sharp claws slicing up the wet ground as it cut across the clearing.

"Ruby."

"I see it, it's directly behind you. Fifty-yards," Ruby's voice was as serious as she pulled Crescent Rose from its resting place at the small of her back.

Blake could feel adrenaline surge through her as her hand went to the hilt of her own weapon. She had it a quarter of the way out of the sheath before Ruby stopped her.

"Wait, it doesn't know we see it yet," whispered Ruby, "When it gets closer use your Semblance to distract it and I'll cut around behind it."

Blake nodded ever so slightly as to not give themselves away. It was a good plan, one that they had used to great success in the past. She tightened her grip on Gambol Shroud. It was much closer now; she could hear it growling as it continued to close the distance.

She widened her stance as Ruby cycled the bolt on Crescent Rose, feeding a high-powered round into the sniper-scythe's chamber. The two locked eyes.

"Ready?"

" _Yes_."

"…Now!"

Ruby disappeared in a flash of rose petals as Blake rolled to her right, leaving a perfect shadow-clone of herself where she had recently stood. Getting to her knees she pulled Gambol Shroud from its sheath, flicking the safety off she folded the weapon into its pistol mode. Finger on the trigger and ready to fire she swung around, towards where she thought the Alpha should be; stunned by their recent maneuver. Getting all the way around she was shocked at what she saw. Her shadow-clone remained where she had left it, untouched. As the Alpha turned its attention to where Ruby was at its back, the red themed girl just barely had enough time to dodge out of the way as the creature swiped at her with a powerful clawed foot.

It hadn’t taken the bait.

"Blake, a little help!" called Ruby as she ducked another attack. The girl fired her weapon using the force to propel her out and away from the creature.

Blake felt the same chill from earlier run down her spine as the beast roared. With the back of the Alpha to her, she made her move. She turned her weapon back into its sword form as she pulled the sheath from her back. She charged across the ground as it made another lunge at Ruby. Summoning up her Aura, Blake jumped high into the air. Reaching the apex of the leap she angled downward towards the Grimm, the tip of Gambol Shroud gleamed with deadly intent as she aimed it at the base of the creature's skull. From there she allowed gravity to do the hard work as she quickly descended down upon the creature. She was just mere seconds away from severing the Beowolf's spine when the creature quickly turned around, its powerful arm swung in a deadly arc right towards her.

Blake barely had time to react before the blow impacted her, sending her flying back. She could feel the air leave her lungs as she slammed into the softened ground, she skidded across its wet surface coming to a stop twenty- feet away from the fully enraged creature.

Dazed she could barely make out Ruby's voice as she called out to her.

"Blake, move!"

Blake did her best to shake off the cobwebs as she looked up to see that the Alpha was charging full bore directly at her. Ruby gave chase. Even with her speed the Beowolf was to close and Ruby was too far. Ruby couldn't catch it. And it was too close for her to effectively dodge. She knew it, and she could tell by the terror stricken look on Ruby's face that she knew it as well.

Blake gritted her teeth in pain as her entire body roared out in a chorus of pure agony as she shakily rose to her feet. Three ribs maybe four _,_ she pushed the pain away. Rising to her full height she summoned what was left of her Aura, she didn't have enough left for another hit like the one she had just took, no, but she had  _just_  enough for what she had in mind. She channeled the energy down her arm and into her weapon; a purple glow surrounded the blade as she connected its base to the ribbon she wore tied around her arm. She pulled her arm back and measured the distance out in her mind; she drew an imaginary line across the ground. She then waited for the beast to cross it,  _too soon and I'll overshoot, too long…_ she pushed the idea from her mind.

The Alpha continued to charge. Its hate filled eyes focused directly on her. The shiver travelled through her again.

"Ruby, duck!" yelled Blake as she threw Gambol Shroud with as much might as her battered body could muster. The sword-pistol cut through the air with deadly accuracy as it sailed past the charging Beowolf.

Blake tightened her grip on her end of the ribbon. She had  _one_ chance to get this right.

A heightened level of awareness settled over her. She could feel every fiber of the ribbon as it skimmed through her thin fingers. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end as the Alpha drew nearer.

The ribbon pulled taught.

Clamping her hand around her end of the black material she jerked the ribbon back. The jerk was enough to reverse Gambol Shroud's direction. The bladed angled back, its tip aimed directly at the Alpha's skull. She flicked her wrist; the action forced the sword-pistol to fire, adding to the speed of the weapon.

“Dodge that!”

It didn't.

What it did was far more horrifying.

Just as Gambol Shroud was about to make contact a dark glow surrounded the Alpha and the weapon just bounced away harmlessly. Disbelief gripped Blake as she watched her weapon stick, blade first, into the mud. She looked back to the creature as it let out another roar, that same dark glow now fully encasing its body.

"That's…impossible."

The Alpha lunged at her, pulling it’s arm back. Without her Aura to protect her this time she felt the full brunt of the attack. Searing hot pain tore through her chest as the blow landed with a sickening  _crack_. She was sent flying back through the air.

" _Blake no_!"

Blake slammed into a tree, her head snapping back against the hard bark.

Everything went dark.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "This chapter is a week late!" 
> 
> Yes. Yes it is. I have a very simple explanation as to why though!
> 
> "Dread it. Run from it. Destiny still arrives."

The first thing she became aware of was the fact that she was in a bed. Her hand loosely gripped at the thin-sheet that was draped over her. Its light-weight and warmth were comforting, but she couldn't help but feel a  _void._  As if the warmth provided by the thin covering was just a cheap imitation of something far  _greater_ _._

She groaned.

The voices stopped. Leaving the only source of sound in the room to be that of the insistent infernal  _beeping_ , she whined against it, wishing that the voices would return to act as a buffer.

Just like her groan had prompted the voices to silence, her whine to, caused a reaction. She could make out the sound of shoes lightly shuffling across hard tile, before she felt a weight sink into the mattress on her left. A calloused hand gripped hers.

" _Blake?_ " Hope permeated the sweet sound of the voice.

She  _knew_  that voice. She knew who it belonged to, it belonged to her friend…it belonged to Ruby.

_Ruby…_

The name triggered a series of images to flash through her still haze-ridden mind; red foliage, rain, a clearing, panic, tears, a girl with a red cloak, and a creature born of hell itself.

She  _remembered_.

She remembered  _everything_.

Blake’s eyes snapped open as she sat bolt upright. Pain tore through her chest at the rapid movement, causing her to yelp as her hands came up to weakly clutch at her torso. Her vision blurred and spun as hot tears sprung to her eyes. The beeping increased to a frantic pace.

"Blake _, no!_ …shi-Weiss! Help me lay her back down."

Caring and gentle hands came up and carefully eased her back down to the bed. She let out a small whimper as her head made contact with the soft down of the pillow. Her head throbbed from the rush of sitting up to quickly. She closed her eyes and forced herself to take several deep and calming breaths, anything to not focus on the pain that racked her head and chest.

A hand gently swiped at her forehead, prompting her to reopen her eyes. Her vision was nothing more than a blur, her eyes unable to properly focus on anything. She blinked several times until her vision cleared enough to allow her to see Ruby who was standing beside the bed.

"There you go," Ruby soothed, "Just relax Blake, you're  _safe_."

Ruby pulled the thin sheet back up and over Blake’s aching body. That's when she noticed it. Ruby's right arm was wrapped in a sling; gauze ran from her hand to the top of her shoulder. She tried to ask what had happened but all that came out was a pitiful sounding croak. That's when she became aware of how dry her throat felt. She tried clearing it to see if that would help.

It didn't.

"Weiss, get her some water." Said Ruby with a glance back to her partner.

"Okay." Weiss lingered for a moment before she finally turned and moved away. A door opened and closed softly.

Having finally calmed down Blake took a quick moment to take in her surroundings.

The walls of the small room were all white-washed giving it a very sterile appearance. The window set in the far wall had its blinds and curtains drawn tight preventing any light from the outside world to enter, making the dull-white-fluorescent light in the ceiling the rooms sole provider of illumination. To the left of her bed was an iv-stand that had several different bags hanging on different hooks, they were all empty; save for the one that was currently connected to the iv that rested embedded in her skin. A heart monitor was off to the right.

_So that's where it's coming from._  Blake looked at the machine with ill-intent. She wanted nothing more than to get up and rip the offending machines power cord from the wall, but if the pain that she had felt just a moment ago was any indication. She was in no condition to do such a thing.

_So, I'm in a hospital._

Blake’s train of thought was interrupted at the sound of Ruby dragging a chair over beside the bed erupted within the room. The young woman adjusted the seat briefly before she plopped down with a sigh. She watched as Ruby scratched at the strap of her sling. Careful not to put any strain on her chest where she was sure that she had two if not three broken ribs, if the pain she had felt just a few short minutes ago was anything to go by, she forced her arm up into the air, it shook the whole while. A slender finger extended out in question toward Ruby's injured arm. The redhead took no notice.

Her ears flicked in annoyance.

Blake grunted out, as the sound of the door opening filled the room. Ruby finally looked.

" _Oh_ ," said Ruby, having finally caught on, "Don't worry about it, it's nothing."

" _Excuse me?_ "

Both of their attentions were quickly drawn to where Weiss stood, back from her task of procuring water. Now, Blake wasn't as much of an expert in Weiss's facial expressions as much as Ruby was but, she had picked up a thing or two over the years since they had become teammates. The most important expression she had flagged over the long years was the one that Weiss only wore when she was angry. And currently, she was  _furious_.

"Did  _I_  just hear you say that your wound." Weiss indicated the girls arm with a harsh gesture of her hand. "A wound that may I remind you;  _almost_ cost you your arm! Was, ' _nothing_.'?"

At that, Blake's attention snapped back to where Ruby was sitting beside her bed. The girl was looking  _very_  sheepish.

"I-uh,  _maybe_ …"

Weiss stamped her foot, "You  _dunce_! Do you know how  _lucky_  you are?  _Hm_ , do  _you_?" Weiss was near screaming now, her slender body shook with barely contained fury. " _A_   _quarter of an inch_ , Ruby, anymore and you would be sitting there as an  _amputee_! That's how  _close_  it was!"

"I  _know_  tha…"

"No, you don't get to  _talk_!" Weiss silenced the other girl as she continued. "Do you know what they  _told_  us when we got here? They told us Blake was unconscious and that you…" Weiss trailed off.

_How long have I been out?_

 Blake was about to ask about that when Weiss found her voice again. She continued her tirade against her girlfriend though her voice was  _much_  shakier than before.

"They said that with the amount of blood that you had lost they weren't sure if they could save your arm. Let alone if they could keep you  _alive_." Weiss choked on the words as tears freely cascaded down her face. "Do you know what that did to your sister? What it did to  _me_?

"It almost  _killed_  you Ruby, so don't you dare say that it's  _nothing_!" Weiss finally broke as a powerful sob racked her delicate figure; Ruby was on her in an instant, wrapping the girl in a one armed hug as Weiss continued to cry.

Blake had to fight back tears of her own as she watched the scene that was unfolding before her. It was a rare thing to see Weiss, who was normally so professionally reserved and careful about letting her emotions show, breakout in sobs, it was a powerful thing to witness.

"I'm sorry Weiss," Ruby said as she attempted to try and console her clearly distraught girlfriend. "I didn't mean to upset you. I know it was…" Ruby paused, "I know it  _is_  bad, but I'm right  _here_ , and I'm not going  _anywhere_. Okay?"

Weiss mumbled something unintelligible, even to Blake's enhanced hearing. Whatever it was, it caused Ruby to laugh.

"Yes, I  _promise_." Ruby hummed, kissing the top of Weiss's head.

Hating that she was eavesdropping on what was clearly a tender moment between her teammates; Blake averted her eyes in a feeble attempt to give them some form of privacy in the cramped room. She was sure that they would come up for air and notice that she was still lying there… _eventually_ , until then she had a lot of new information to go through.

So she had been unconscious, according to Weiss.  _For how long though?_  Blake had no answer to the question, and the only two people who did were currently off in their own little world. Also, how had they gotten there? She couldn't remember anything after colliding with the tree. Judging by the state of Ruby's arm she knew something had to have happened.

There was something else though, something that was eating away at her with an even  _greater_  intensity.

What exactly was  _it_  that they had encountered? It wasn't an ordinary Alpha, of that she was certain. While Alpha's did tend to be smarter than the average Beowolf, this one showed an intelligence that was  _far_ greater than any she had ever seen. Then there was the far more important issue; the glow. It certainly appeared to be an aura. That was impossible though, wasn’t it? Grimm didn’t have souls so how could it have an Aura?

Blake frowned; her thoughts and self-quizzing weren't going to get her anywhere. All it served to do thus far was provide her with confusion and even more questions. She looked back to where her teammates still stood.

Weiss was now returning the hug, though it looked as if she was being very careful not to touch Ruby's right arm. Blake hated what she was about to do, they looked so  _happy_  and content, but she needed answers. And they were the only two present who could give them to her.

Inhaling deeply she cleared her throat…

Neither of them reacted.

_Really?_  She screamed the word in her head.  _Guess I'll just have to try something else._

Carefully, as to not jar her battered and sore body she scooted up in the bed slightly, her weak muscles strained against the movement but, she persevered until she was half sitting and half lying down in the bed. She grimaced as a small jolt of pain racked her torso. She gritted her teeth as she waited for the dull ache to subside.

Once it had she focused her gaze on Ruby.  _Here goes…_

" _Ruby_ …" Her voice sounded alien to her ears, it was a distinct combination of glass shattering and fingernails being drug across a chalkboard. She couldn't complain though, as it seemed to do its job of snagging Ruby's attention.

"Oh!" Ruby's head shot up as her face instantly turned red, "Blake you're still uh… _here_ …"

The Faunus couldn't help but smirk as she nodded and pointed toward Weiss, whose face was currently doing its best to match the color of her girlfriend's trademark cloak.

Ruby followed the finger and looked at her girlfriend with furrowed brows. It took a minute, but understanding finally dawned over her face.

"Weiss, the water!"

"What…? Oh,  _yes_ , of course" Weiss spluttered the words out as she offered the cup and straw to Blake who wasted no time in snatching them away.

Bringing the straw to her lips she emptied over half of the cups contents in a single go. She failed to fight back a moan as the cool liquid soothed its way down her throat. It was heavenly.

"I think she likes it!" Ruby joked, as she looked to Weiss, "Why don't you get her some more?"

" _No,_ " Blake tested out her voice again, just as Weiss turned to leave she stopped.  _Still scratchy…at least I sound like myself though._

Both girls looked at her, questioning expressions plastered over both of their faces. She took another sip in hopes of better steadying her voice before responding.

"It feels and tastes great, but I'm alright right now."  _A little better_ , "If it's all the same to you two, I'd rather you tell me what happened and where we are."

Ruby scratched the back of her head, "Yeah…I guess we haven't really told you anything have we?"

"You haven't, no."

Ruby sighed and retook her seat while Weiss noisily pulled another up beside her girlfriend.

Blake watched as the girls joined hands and laid them over where the small armrests of their chairs met. She absently wondered if they had even noticed that they did that or was it so second nature to them now that it was like breathing. As much as she wanted to know, it was a question for  _another_ time.

"So, what do you want to know first?" Weiss asked the question from her position beside Ruby.

_That's the million lien question isn't it?_  There were so many things that she wanted to ask that it was nearly impossible to just  _choose_  one.

_Have to start somewhere, might as well ask the obvious one first._

"Where are we?"

"A private room at Vale General," Ruby answered the question, quickly adding on, "I just managed to get us to the ER before I passed out."

"How'd we get a private room?"

"That would be me." It was Weiss's turn to answer. "Once I got the call that you both were here I told them I wanted their best doctors and surgeons on your cases, and that I wanted you put up comfortably after you were out of recovery. And while the room isn't exactly my definition of luxurious, it's better than being crammed into a room with complete strangers."

Blake nodded as she processed the information. She knew well enough from the room and its contents to know that she was in a hospital, but it was reassuring to know exactly  _where_  she was. And knowing what Weiss defined as luxury, she really doubted there was a hospital in the  _entire_  world with a room that could live up to such a high billing.

Blake looked to Ruby, "What happened in the clearing after I got hit?"

"Well, after it hit you," began Ruby; a faraway look took over her eye as she recounted the events. "The… _thing_  turned on me and lashed out. Unfortunately for it, I was moving way too fast to stop, and you know how momentum works with  _Crescent_. Unfortunately for me though, I was too close to dodge out of the way. It lost its  _head_  and I  _nearly_  lost my arm.

"After I was sure it was dead I threw you over my back and ran to the nearest hospital," Ruby paused as she indicated the room with her good arm. "And here we are."

"So you killed _it_?"

Ruby paused for a moment, something flashing through her eyes, before she nodded.

Blake nor Weiss caught it.

Blake exhaled a breath that she wasn't even aware that she had been holding. Unbridled relief flowed through her at the knowledge of knowing that whatever it  _was_  that they had encountered, it was  _dead_.

_Good riddance._

Blake looked back to Ruby and asked, "What do you think it was?"

Ruby shrugged, "Your guess is as good as mine. I can say this though,  _whatever_  it was. It wasn't  _normal_."

"You don't say." Blake deadpanned.

"We tried contacting Ozpin to ask him…" Ruby started before Weiss cleared her throat and nudged her shoulder up against Ruby's. Ruby sighed as if to say, ' _fine_ ,' and started over.

"What I meant to say was that, Weiss tried to call Ozpin. But she could never get through and he's yet to return  _any_  of her calls."

"Which means that he's probably ducking us for some reason," Weiss added her two cents.

"So you think he  _knew_  that thing was out there?"

"He had to have when you think about it. He acted weird when he gave us the mission then we go out there and run into  _that_?" Ruby shook her head, "There's little chance that he  _didn't_ know."

"For his sake he had better hope that he  _didn't_." Weiss's voice dripped with barely contained malice.

" _Weiss_ ,"

"Don't you, ' _Weiss_ ,' me Ruby Rose." The girl stared Ruby down, "If he knew what was out there and didn't warn  _us_  about it, it's a gross misuse of our  _trust._ "

Ruby seemed to ponder those words for a moment before she nodded. "I guess you're right."

"Of course I am."

Blake agreed with Weiss _._  Although a much darker thought soon occurred to her, one that really made her reevaluate what she  _thought_  she knew about their former mentor.

_What if he hadn't just known it was out there, what if he had also known what it was capable of?_

The idea sent a frightful shiver down her spine.

"Besides," Weiss continued, breaking Blake out of her thoughts, "It's not me you really have to worry about,  _it's_   _Yang_."

At the mention of her girlfriend's name, Blake instantly perked up and felt a wave of emotion the size of a tsunami wash over her. She quickly looked around the room, eyes frantically seeking out any sign of the blonde. But, there wasn't a trace of her anywhere.

She deflated on the spot.

"Ruby, where's Yang?" asked Blake.

“Oh, she went to the…” Ruby was interrupted by the door swinging open, revealing one Yang Xiao Long, a tray piled high with food in her arms.

“Got everything except for the cookies, they were out, sorry Rubes,” said Yang as she entered the room. She stopped as she took notice of the bed, gasping with a sharp intake of breath. The tray fell from her hands and clattered to the floor.

“Hey, Yang,” said Blake, unsure of what else to do in the situation.

The next thing Blake knew Yang was at her bedside and pulling her into a careful, and needy, embrace. Blake returned the hug eagerly, losing herself in Yang’s curls. Yang smelled more of the hospital than her normal scent, leading Blake to question just how long she had been there.

“Uhm, we’re going to go get more food, come on Weiss,” said Ruby as she grabbed her partner and exited the room. Blake closed her eyes as she heard the door close, allowing herself to bask in Yang’s warmth.

Eventually Yang pulled back, cupping Blake’s face, she said, “Hey.”

“Hey,” replied Blake, “I guess I’ve been out for a while, huh?”

Yang nodded, her eyes swelling with emotion, “About a week.”

Blake allowed that to marinate for a moment. To her it felt as if only moment’s had passed since she had been in that field drenched by rain and fighting that _thing_.

“I’m so glad you’re awake,” said Yang, pulling her into another hug. “Are you okay?”

“I’m good, you?”

“I am now,” replied Yang.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So if the note at the top wasn't clear enough Infinity War came out and the hype was over 9000 so I kinda forgot to work on chapter 6... My bad! From here on out we should be back on track. 
> 
> As always leave any constructive criticism and other comments below and we'll see you all next week!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another week another chapter! (Yes, a day late but I was a bit under the weather. I do apologize for the wait.)

_“Survive this!”_

_“We need to get out of here now.”_

_“She’s too injured to move.”_

_“We are not leaving her.”_

_“We have to go.”_

_“No. I’m not going to leave her.”_

" _No!_ "

Blake gasped out as she bolted up.

Perspiration covered her body making the yukata she wore cling to her skin. Her eyes frantically bounced around her surroundings, taking in everything they could in the dim lighting. Instead of being met with the dire scene as she had anticipated she was met instead with the familiar amethyst walls of her room. She closed her eyes as she placed a hand over her heart; the muscle was working overtime but was slowly returning to its normal pace. Blake took a steadying breath.

The words had felt so real. It wasn’t like before where she had heard them in the distance. This time they came from within, from some deep and dark part of her mind. Just like before though they felt like a warning. For what though she had no idea.

“What in the world is happening to me?”

* * *

Sleep eluded Blake for the rest of the night.

She couldn't get the words out of her head. Every time she closed her eyes they replayed again and again. So Blake laid awake, eyes staring up at her white ceiling as her bedside clock ticked away the night until its alarm finally sounded.

Sighing and resisting the urge to scream and send the clock flying through the air, Blake rose from her bed, silencing the small machine with the quick press of a button. Elbows balanced on her knees, Blake placed her head in her hands, roughly rubbing over her tired eyes.

The day was off to a fine start.

Pushing the thought away Blake forced herself to her feet, walking over to her closet. She opened one of the panels, quickly grabbing out some clothes she laid them out.

Her clothes for the day procured she headed to her bathroom, glad that Weiss had the foresight to add private bathrooms on to all of the bedrooms in the house. After four-years of sharing a bathroom it was almost magical to have one all to herself. Now in front of the shower Blake untied the knot on her yukata, allowing the black fabric to fall to the floor. She shivered as the cool morning air assaulted her nude form.

Cutting the water on, she allowed it to warm to her preference before stepping into the small stall.

She could feel her tense and rigid muscles relax almost instantly as the warm water flowed over her body. She sighed.

_That's better._

Blake allowed the warm pressure of the shower to carry her away into a state of tranquility. No strange Grimm or ominous words. Her mind drifted away as her body moved, functioning on autopilot; shampooing her hair and cleaning her body.

 She would have stayed there forever, had her stomach not growled. The promise of a warm meal, that  _wasn't_  hospital food and caffeine, entered the forefront of her mind.

So Blake killed the water and dried off. She quickly dressed and left her room and headed for the kitchen

Stepping off the bottom stair Blake stopped, alarmed by something, or more correctly, alarmed by the  _absence_  of something.

During their second year together as a team, Weiss had taken it upon herself to become the team's personal chef. Saying that,  _"No teammates of mine will be caught dead eating anything but the best!"_

At first Blake had been skeptical, along with Ruby and Yang. None of them believed that Weiss Schnee; heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, knew how to cook. But, after tasting what Weiss had prepared the team for breakfast the next day, they all quickly changed their tune. It seemed that Weiss's perfectionist nature carried over into her cooking as well.

She could  _still_  remember the smug look on Weiss's face.

That was why when she reached the bottom of the stairs and noticed a distinct lack of a heavenly aroma coming from the kitchen, she paused.

Something was wrong.

Her ears twitched, just able to pick up on hushed voices coming from the dining room. Curious as to what was going on Blake quietly padded across the floor, heading toward the source of the voices.

They became clearer as she neared.

"I'm telling you,  _no_! And that's  _final_  Ruby."

"Why though, huh? What could it hurt?"

"I don't care if it could hurt anything, which you know very well that it  _could_ , I'm not  _going_  and neither are you!"

" _Dammit_ ,  _Weiss_!" A frustrated Ruby said.

Blake froze as she was about to turn the corner.

"I can't sleep! I close my eyes and all I can see is  _it!"_

It would seem that their encounter with the Alpha had effected Ruby  _mentally_  as well as physically.

"Or worse; I see it killing me, Blake, Yang,… _you_!"

Ruby’s voice sounded choked, as if she was on the verge of tears.

"I want answers Weiss,  _I need them_! And he's the only  _person_  who can give them to me."

" _Ruby_ …"

A chair scuffed across the floor, followed by the sound of quick moving feet.

Blake wished she could force herself to move. So she could see into the room, see what was happening, but she couldn't. This was between Ruby and Weiss, and she would respect that. Besides, she had a pretty good idea what this was  _about_.

"Ruby, I'm…I'm sorry okay?" Weiss's voice softly carried through the air. "Don't cry, alright?  _Please?"_

"I'm sorry to…I-I just need to know, Weiss. I  _have_  to know."

Blake heard Weiss sigh heavily.

"I know, I know you do. I just…can't stand the thought of him at the moment."

"Trust me; he's not on my favorite list of people at the moment either." Ruby gave a watery laugh. "But like I said-"

"He's the only one who knows." Weiss finished her girlfriend's statement with another lighter-sigh. Silence reigned for a moment. "I'll make arrangements to have the airship come tomorrow."

" _Thank you_."

Deciding that she had hidden her presence long enough, Blake finally turned around the corner. Her eyes instantly locking onto her teammates, Ruby clung to Weiss as the other girl held her in an equally tight embrace.

"Blake?" Ruby noticed the Faunus a split second before Weiss.

The next time they both spoke they did it at the same time.

"How long have you been standing there?"

"How-how much did you hear?" Ruby asked as she wiped at her wet cheeks.

"Enough," She answered both questions with the word. She looked between her teammates as they hastily separated from their hug,  _I really need to stop being around when they get tender…_  She shoved the thought away. There were more important things to think about at the moment.

"So you're going to Beacon I take it?" She cut to the chase as she fixed both girls in a glare.

The red and white girls shared a look, before Weiss answered.

"We are."

Weiss gave her the answer she had been expecting, despite that she still found herself nodding.

"You're more than welcome to come with us, if you want to Blake." Ruby said as she adjusted the strap of her sling. "I'm sure you have just as many questions as I do."

Blake mulled the offer over for a moment. She knew she wanted answers just as much as Ruby did, but there was something else that she was far more concerned about…well,  _someone_.

Her eyes glanced up at the ceiling, towards where Yang's room was directly above them. If she went, that would mean Yang going as well. And Yang and Ozpin in the same room, she wasn’t sure that was such a good idea. While Yang had never directly admitted it, Blake was decidedly certain that Yang blamed Ozpin for what had happened to her and her sister, and if Yang blamed you for something, well…

Blake looked back to Ruby, her mind set. "I think I'll stay here-"

" _No, we’re all going._ ”

Blake's ears perked up along with the rest of her body as she turned to the sound of the voice that she knew so well. The voice that filled with as much malice as Blake had ever heard.

Yang stood in the entryway to the dining room, arms crossed over her chest while her eyes glowed a dangerous red.

Before Blake or anyone else could say anything, Yang turned and walked away. "It's about time Ozpin gave us all some _answers._ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While it's not the longest chapter, well THINGS! Going forward though I feel confident in saying most, maybe not all because you never know, will most certainly be longer. All I can say is buckle up, we got things coming!
> 
> As always if you have any comments, suggestions, or constructive criticisms please leave em below! Until next time, have a great night!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another week another chapter, hope you enjoy!

Blake was no stranger to tense situations.

Her time in the White Fang and the following years of grueling training at Beacon had easily seen to that. Yet, as she and the rest of Team RWBY strode out of the airship hanger and into Beacon's grand courtyard, she couldn't help but feel like this was the tensest she had ever been. Her muscles were coiled like a spring that had been wound too tight. Her ears and eyes constantly twitched and flicked in the direction of every sound and movement, listening and waiting;  _waiting_  for the move or sound that would ignite the ball of pressure that resided in the air like a bomb.

She flexed her hands as they swayed in time with her steps; her eyes quickly glanced to her right, towards the source of all the tension.

_Yang_.

Instead of her normal happy-go-lucky gait, the brawler strutted along with what could only be venomous intent. Each step was precise,  _calculated_ , as if Yang was getting ready to strike at a moment's notice. Her hands were balled into tight, powerful fists, fists that were capable of sending a seven-hundred-pound Ursa sailing through the air as if they were little more than a feather.

If Blake was a tightly coiled spring, Yang then, was a viper ready to  _strike_.

While Blake was concerned at Yang's newfound aggressive posture, what really had the Faunus tensing with every breath were her  _eyes_.

Eyes that were normally so warm and welcoming were now cold and aggressive. Gone too, was their soft lilac color; in its place was the deepest and darkest red that Blake had ever seen. It was a red that could only display one thing, one emotion, pure unadulterated anger.

And they had been that color for well over thirty-hours. Ever since Yang had found the rest of them down in the dining room.

To say Blake was worried about the state of her partner would have been an understatement. She knew the blonde had a temper; she had seen Yang slaughter an entire herd of Boarbatusks in a rage fueled bloodlust. But this wasn't that. No, this was something far beyond that. It was  _primal_.

If just the thought of Ozpin was enough to set Yang off this bad, she shuddered to think about what would happen once they finally came face to face.

_It won't end well for someone, that much is certain._

She wasn't the only one concerned about the state of the team's bruiser. Blake had caught the long and troubled stares that Ruby and Weiss had sent Yang's direction on their journey to Beacon. They were both as worried about her as she was, Ruby, perhaps, even more so.

"Ah, Team RWBY." Blake's thoughts were interrupted as all four girls stopped and turned towards the sound of the familiar voice of their old professor, Glynda Goodwitch. The older woman glowered at them with her emerald gaze through the glasses that sat upon her nose. Her ever present tablet was propped against her hip. Her tone was dry, indifferent. "We've been expecting you."

The woman's black and purple cape billowed behind her as the wind blew softly across the yard. Her customary white blouse and black skirt barely ruffling against the wind.

"I bet you have." Yang said as she stepped out in front of the others. " _Where is he?_ "

Blake shivered at the pure malice that dripped from Yang's voice. If Goodwitch noticed it, she chose to ignore it.

"Professor Ozpin is currently in a meeting." The older huntress glared at Yang. "And he is to not be  _disturbed_  until its completion."

"Let me guess, you're here to make sure it stays that way?"

Goodwitch nodded, a twisted smile forming on her lips. " _Very astute_  of you Miss Xiao Long, perhaps if you applied that level of thinking to your studies you  _might_  have had better marks while you were here."

" _Give me a reason_." Yang ground out as Ember Celica activated around her wrists, " _Please._ "

Blake's arms shot out of their own accord, her hands coming to wrap around Yang's arm as the brawler took a step towards Goodwitch. The two of them had never really seen eye to eye. Goodwitch was very much the disciplinarian she appeared to be, and Yang… Well Yang was Yang. As such the Faunus didn't need to be able to read Yang's mind to know what the brawler intended to do in her current rage filled state.

" _Yang!_ "

She felt Yang tense up as she called her name out. Yang's entire body was trembling, her muscles flexed under her skin, Blake became painfully aware in that moment that if Yang really wanted to, she could break away from her feeble grip without so much as a second thought. Yang had always been the strongest of the group, but when she was angry… It was truly inhuman what she was capable of.

Blake racked her brain in desperation, trying to come up with a way to diffuse the explosive situation before it had a chance to ignite.

"Professor Goodwitch," Blake was startled from her thoughts as Weiss came into view on the opposite side of Yang. Weiss wore a mask of iron, but the nervousness in her voice didn’t go unnoticed by the Faunus as she stepped slightly in front of Yang, blocking the brawler's path to their old teacher. “You said that you've been expecting us, yes?"

Goodwitch nodded, her eyes looking past Weiss directly at Yang. "That is correct."

"Then I'm sure that you've setup a place for us to wait until we can see Professor Ozpin."

"I did, yes." The older woman checked her scroll as it beeped. She hummed at whatever it was, "They actually just finished preparing it now. If you'll follow me."

With that Goodwitch turned and started walking off away from the girls.

Weiss let out an audible breath, "Come on Ruby."

Blake watched as the red and white pair followed after the older huntress. She wasn't surprised when Ruby looked back, concern clearly etched across her young face. Blake held her look until Ruby and Weiss went around a corner, vanishing from sight.

Blake was just about to let out a relieved sigh when a deep-rough voice broke the tense silence.

" _Blake._ " Her eyes darted up to where Yang's glowing red eyes stared at her. She shuddered involuntarily at the sight.

Yang's eyes shifted down then, " _Let go_."

Blake released her grip on Yang’s arm and the blonde stalked away without another word.

After Blake had brushed off her shock at just how cold and distant Yang was acting of her body she went after the others. She just barely managed to catch up to them as Goodwitch opened the door to the cafeteria, where she quickly shuffled them inside.

Nothing about the cafeteria had changed, not that she had expected it to. The sun's bright yellow light filtered in through the large church-like windows that ran up both ends of the dining hall. The only real difference that she could discern was that the majority of the tables had been covered by heavy-white cloths, their chairs turned upside down atop them.

It was strange seeing the cafeteria so… deserted. She was used to seeing it filled to the brim with ravenous teens that couldn't wait to slate their appetites. Then again, she had  _never_ seen the space during the summer.

Blake blinked as her eyes adjusted to the dim light of the large empty room; her quick reflexes the only thing that kept her from almost bumping into a covered bench. Goodwitch walked ahead and stopped by an uncovered table.

"You may wait here." The woman clipped as she checked her scroll again. "If memory serves Miss Schnee you are quite familiar with our cooking facilities, yes?"

"I am."

"Very well, you may help yourself." Goodwitch turned her glare to Yang. "Just try to not  _burn_  the building down."

Blake was pretty sure she felt the temperature rise.

Luckily for all of them Goodwitch took that final jab as her cue to leave, the eldest huntress wasting little time in departing. Leaving Team RWBY alone to their own devices.

They stood there for a moment, and even Blake had to admit the silence uncomfortable.

_But so is everything else about this._

"Well," Ruby started, Blake could tell that the girl was trying to sound as chipper as she could. Unfortunately for her though, it came out as forced. "I guess we wait now."

Blake was just about to agree when the sound of a chair being roughly dragged across the ground filled the air. The Faunus turned in time to see Yang flipping the chair around backwards before she plopped down onto it.

" _We wait_."

Blake hated it.

She hated the sound of venom in Yang’s voice.

* * *

 

"Weiss you need to relax!"

"Don't you tell me to relax, Ruby Rose! It's been two hours!  _Two_!"

Blake watched the exchange between her two teammates silently. They had been bickering like this for the last fifteen minutes. The pressure and weight of just sitting around and waiting, it seemed, had finally gotten to Weiss.

It had started out innocently enough with the heiress pacing back and forth in front of their table. It had then quickly escalated to her mumbling to herself as she paced. Uttering things like:

"What is taking so long?"

"He should be here by now…"

And Blake's personal favorite:

"This is ridiculous!"

It had been Weiss's last exclamation saying, that she was going to go and break into Ozpin's office and drag him out, that had finally prompted Ruby to respond. And as much as Blake agreed with Ruby that Weiss needed to calm down. She had to admit that the heiress had a point.

They had been waiting an awfully  _long_  time.

"Look Weiss, all I'm saying is that you should save your energy, that's all."

The heiress spun on her heel mid pace, her eyes glaring daggers at the younger girl. "So you're saying I'm  _weak now_?"

"I didn't say that!"

Blake sighed as her friends continued their quibble.

_At least they're acting normal._

Blake wished that she could say the same for Yang. Ever since they had arrived in the cafeteria the brawler had taken to being quiet.

Yang was  _never_  quiet.

There were days where Blake even wondered if Yang knew what the word meant.

She cast a wary eye towards her partner, Yang still sat; leaned over the table with her arms crossed in-front of her, her head resting on-top of them. Her eyes were closed, hiding the red whirlpool of anger that Blake knew to reside there.

To the untrained eye it looked like Yang might be asleep, but not to Blake. No, the Faunus knew that her partner was awake; she could tell by the expression that the blonde wore.

When Yang slept, her face was blank, impassive, almost as if the girl had not a care in the world. Now though. Now, Yang's face was contorted- albeit subtly- in a scowl. A scowl that, along with her tensed up muscles, warned of the fire that was raging just beneath her skin.

Blake's hands balled into fists under the table, fingernails cutting into the calloused skin of her palms. She ignored the pinpricks of pain that sprung from her hands as she watched Yang. An internal battle raging within her own head.

She felt so helpless, she wanted to scream. It  _hurt_  her to see Yang like this, so consumed by her anger. She wished she could think of something,  _anything_  that she could do to snap Yang out of her trance. But she couldn't, and deep down she knew. She  _knew_  that there was nothing that she or anyone else, even  _Ruby_ , could do to break Yang out.

In the nearly five years that she had known the brawler there had only ever been one remedy for when she got truly-mad like this and that was to just let her go. Just allow her to go and blow off her aggression until she finally returned to normal. In the past Blake had been okay with this. Not to say that she didn't worry about her partner, because she did, their relationship had just been…  _different_  at the time.

And she knew why.

_I wasn't in love with her then._

The thought still felt foreign in her mind, despite her having accepted it as fact days ago.  _I just want her back. I want things to go back to how they were before this mess._

She knew that could never happen. Whatever path their lives had been on, they had been changed on that rainy day in Forever Fall. This was their reality now, and Blake wasn't sure if she liked it.

That's when she heard it.

The Faunus was pulled from her thoughts as her cat ears perked up, the extra set of ears twitched as the familiar sound of a door being opened reached them over the drone of Ruby and Weiss's continued squabble. What she heard next caused her entire body to stand on alert. Her spine straightened as she sat up, ram-rod straight in the chair. Her eyes locked onto the hall that served as an entry-point at the far side of the cafeteria.

She strained her hearing as she waited for the faint sound to come again. Seconds seemed to drag on like minutes as she waited, her attention never once wavering…

_There!_

She had been sure before. Now she was certain.

" _Guys_ ," She blurted the word out through gritted teeth as the noise continued to draw closer.

Ruby and Weiss silenced almost immediately.

"What is it Blake?"

The Faunus ignored Ruby's question as she continued to listen to the sound.  _Less than one-hundred-feet…_

"He's coming," She finally answered, her eyes still locked on the hallway.

"You see him?"

"I  _hear_  him."

"Are you sure it's…"

Blake silenced Ruby with a pointed-glare. She knew that the rest of her team didn't share her Faunus heritage, and by extension her enhanced hearing, and as such it was hard for them to understand, but it would be nice if they would just believe her for  _once_. After all, how many times had her hearing saved them in the past?

"Okay, so he's coming…" Ruby's words trailed off as she looked over to the hallway herself.

" _Well it's about time_!" Blake looked to where Weiss was standing, arms crossed indignantly across her chest as she glowered towards the hall.

Hearing Weiss's cold exclamation seemed to snap Ruby out of her trance. "Blake, how long do we have until he gets here?"

Blake directed her ears back towards the hall. The sounds were closer but she still had to strain to pick up the footfalls. "About a minute."

"Okay," Ruby nodded as she stood up and moved to the end of the table. "Look, I know that Ozpin isn't anyone's favorite person right now."

_That's the understatement of the year._  Blake kept the thought to herself, and even managed to keep from rolling her eyes, once she saw how serious Ruby had become.

"But, we need to remember why we're  _here._ " Ruby said, pointing down at the table for added emphasis. "We're here for  _answers._ Not to start a fight. So when Ozpin gets here we'll just have to stow whatever personal feelings that we might have. Agreed?"

Blake agreed quickly. Despite the anger she felt towards the man she agreed with Ruby. Revenge wasn't why they were here. Weiss's frown seemed to deepen even more. Only after receiving stares from Blake and her girlfriend did the heiress relent and agree.

That just left…

"Yang."

Blake looked to her partner as Ruby called her name. Despite having easily heard the entirety of the conversation Yang still hadn't moved. And if her current reaction to her name being called was any indication she still didn't plan on moving anytime soon.

" _Yang!_ " Ruby called again. This time louder and more sternly than before.

Blake winced at the annoyed aggravation that seemed to drip from Ruby's voice.

It worked though, because Yang finally moved. Not a lot; just enough for her to crack one of her red eyes open, enough to show that she was in fact listening.

Blake felt her heart sink at the sight of the red coloring. A small part of her had been hoping that the long wait would have cooled some of Yang's fiery aggression. That hope it appeared, had been misplaced.

"Okay," Ruby started up again, "Now that I have your attention. Yang, I want you to promise me that you'll  _behave_  once Ozpin gets here. No: punching, screaming, and definitely no  _fire_. Do you understand?"

Blake held her breath as the two sisters kept their gazes locked. Time seemed to tick by ever so slowly as she watched them, her eyes never once leaving Yang's form.

"Fine," The blonde mumbled the word into her arm as she reclosed her eye. Ending the stare down.

Blake let out the breath she had been holding in relief. Not only at Yang's answer, but at what she had seen in the other girl's eye before it had closed. There had been the briefest glimmer of  _lilac_. It had been fast, so quick in fact that had Blake blinked she was sure she would have missed it. But it was  _there,_ and that meant one thing. One thing that filled the Faunus's heart with so much joy and relief that she wanted to uncharacteristically jump up and scream.

_Her_  Yang was still in there, and she was much closer to the surface than she had previously thought.

"Ah, there you all are."

Her ears twitched at the sound of the man's voice. Blake's gaze shifted up and away from Yang's form, to look at the man that Ruby and Weiss were already staring at.

Ozpin had arrived.

* * *

 

Small particles of dust floated about the room illuminated by the light that came in through the windows and from the ceiling. The air was thick and rife with the particles and pressure as the middle-aged man slowly made his way over to the table that Team RWBY occupied.

The polished wood of the table that they sat at gleamed in the light sunlight. While the tables that were covered by the white cloths seemed to glow as the sunlight bounced off of the fabric.

Blake could feel her heart thrum in time with Ozpin's prim and precise steps as they echoed against the tiled flooring.

Reaching the head of the table the man stilled a welcoming-smile on his face. "I am sorry to keep the four of you waiting for this long. I trust that you were comfortable here?"

"Oh  _please_ ," Weiss snorted, "Like you even-"

" _Weiss!_ " The heiress was silenced mid-sentence by Ruby, who sent her a warning glare before turning her attention back to Ozpin. "We were fine, thank you. But as I'm sure you are aware we didn't come here to exchange pleasantries."

Ozpin hummed, his brown eyes quickly flitting over the four girls. "Yes. I didn't expect that was the reason for your visit. How about we all have a seat and then we can begin?"

Blake watched as Ruby, Weiss, and Ozpin all took a seat. Weiss sat beside her while Ruby took the seat next to Yang; Ozpin paused just long enough to unbutton his evergreen colored suit before he spearheaded the table.

She stared at Ozpin as he pushed his glasses further up the ridge of his nose, the dark circular lenses doing an effective job of hiding his eyes. He leaned his cane up against the edge of the table. The pommel of the weapon gleamed in the light.

Blake allowed her eyes to wander towards Yang then. The brawler hadn't as much as flinched when Ozpin had finally showed up. She had just remained still, eyes closed, in the same position that she was in before. Though, Blake noted, the room did feel  _warmer_. That and her hands had balled into fists where they lay on the table top…

Ozpin cleared his throat, drawing Blake's attention away from Yang and back to him. His hands were clasped firmly in front of him, just like when he had come to them offering the mission.

The sight made Blake's skin crawl.

He smiled as he addressed Blake, "I must say that it is good to see you up and moving Miss Belladonna."

Blake had to bite her tongue to keep from saying anything. Ruby wanted them to play nice, so she would, despite the  _difficulty_.

"You as well Miss Rose, my sources tell me that you are lucky to still have your arm." He shifted his attention across the table, brow furrowed in slightly in what seemed like concern.

Blake caught Weiss fidgeting in her seat from her peripheral vision. Ruby's wound, it would seem, was still a  _sore_  spot for the heiress.

Ruby swallowed, "So, you've been keeping tabs on us?"

Blake was positive she saw his smile widen as Ozpin nodded, "Of course. It's something I got into the habit of doing with people I give missions to. If for nothing else to make sure that the job gets done."

"Sir," Ruby started tentatively as she toyed with the strap of her sling, something that had become an almost nervous tick for the young girl. "About the mission, did you know-"

"About what you would  _encounter_?" Ozpin cut her off, an eyebrow crooked up.

Ruby gave a stiff nod.

Ozpin observed her for a moment before sighing. "I suspected, yes."

After the solemn admission, it got quiet. So much so that the only sound that could be heard was that of their soft breathing. Blake wondered how long it would be until someone broke the thick silence. How long would it be until one of them snapped and asked the question that they all wanted to  _know_?

Better yet _, who_  would do it?

She wasn't about to, her eyes shifted to Yang, who still sat with her arms crossed and her eyes closed.  _And from the looks of it neither is Yang_.

As a matter of fact, it appeared as if Yang didn't want a  _single_  thing to do with Ozpin. Aside from balling her fist up Yang hadn't done a single thing since Ozpin had arrived, she hadn't even looked at him. Not that Blake was complaining.

No, she hadn't really been looking forward to trying to hold Yang back from killing their old professor…as much as he might deserve it.

"Then why didn't you  _warn us?_ " Blake was pulled from her thoughts as Weiss shot to her feet, eyes glaring daggers at the middle-aged man. "You almost got Ruby and Blake  _killed_!"

Blake watched as Ozpin steadily met Weiss's eyes. The heiress's outburst and glare seemed to have no effect on the man. His voice was as calm and collected as his face was as he replied. "I didn't warn you, because I couldn't."

"What do you mean: ' _you couldn't_.'?!" Weiss snarled.

Ozpin raised an open palmed hand at the heiress. "Miss Schnee, if you will give me but a moment, I will explain everything." He indicated her chair, "Please, sit."

Blake watched with baited breath as Weiss narrowed her cold blue eyes. She opened her mouth to say something only to be stopped by Ruby.

"Weiss, come on."

At Ruby's prompting Weiss snapped her mouth closed and retook her seat with a soft humph.

"Thank you," Ozpin said, his eyes moving between Weiss and Ruby. "Now before I begin, I do have one small thing to ask."

"What is it?" Ruby asked.

Ozpin re-clasped his hands, his face turning serious as he leaned out over the table. "What I'm about to tell you cannot be repeated. To  _anyone_ , do you understand?"

Blake met Ruby's silver gaze as their leader looked to her, the question that laid within easy to read. Blake gave her a swift nod, as did Weiss, before Ruby looked to Yang.

The brawler still hadn't moved and it was starting to worry Blake. While she was happy that Yang was showing an immense amount of self-control; the likes of which the Faunus didn't know her partner possessed, in not turning into a fiery inferno and attacking Ozpin, she'd be lying if she said it didn't have her on edge. She knew all too well what happened when people bottled up that much anger and aggression.

They would eventually  _explode_.

Which in Yang's case… _well_ , it wouldn't be  _pretty_.

Her thoughts were interrupted as Ruby spoke.

"We understand, we won't tell anyone."

"Very well," Ozpin cleared his throat; the sound forcing Blake to pry her eyes from Yang's slouched form to find Ozpin looking the most serious that she had ever seen him.

A chill clawed its way up her spine.

" _Now_ , as I'm sure you've figured out by now the Grimm that Miss Belladonna and Miss Rose fought in Forever Fall was no ordinary creature. It was what we've come to call an  _Omega Grimm._ "

Ozpin paused as he pushed his glasses back up his nose.

"Omega's are faster, stronger, and  _far_  more intelligent than their counterparts. What sets them apart the most though, and what makes their existence truly concerning is their ability to conjure what we are calling  _Dark Aura_. Since their discovery they have been responsible for killing dozens of hunters as well as taking out smaller settlements. The one you killed marks the first time that one has been reported that close to any major population center."

Blake's mind was on fire, and if the deep, concentrated, looks on Ruby and Weiss's faces were any indication they too were in the same position.

_So… it wasn't just a rare occurrence_.

The thought of more of those… those  _things_  existing filled the Faunus with dread. Just  _one_ of them had been capable of almost killing her and Ruby,  _what if there had been two?_

She quickly banished the thought.

"What do you mean Dark Aura?" Weiss asked, her face marred with confusion, "They're still Grimm right? So how is it possible for them to have an Aura without having a soul?"

"Because they do not derive their Aura from a soul as we do. Their Dark Aura is a physical manifestation of the one emotion that a Grimm possesses,  _Hatred_."

"Hatred for what though?" Ruby prompted.

"For us, for  _humanity_."

Silence reigned for a moment as the information sunk in.

"How long have you known about them?" Ruby asked from her position across from Blake, the young leader shifted nervously it was almost as if she didn't want to know the answer to her own question.

Ozpin sighed, lowering his hands down to the table. "We have been aware of their existence for close to eight years now, we…"

"What do you mean you've  _known_  about them for eight years?" Weiss's enraged outburst silenced Ozpin.

"Just that Miss Schnee, we've been aware of the Omega's for quite some time." Ozpin hadn't so much as flinched under the heiress's withering glare. "Though we still know very little about them."

"How haven't we heard about them before now then?" Blake decided it was her turn to join the conversation, despite the glare that it earned her from Weiss.

Ozpin paused as if he was debating his answer. After what seemed like an eternity he responded. "The reason you have never heard of their existence is because it has been kept secret."

"How have you managed to keep something like this hidden for so longWeiss slammed her fists down onto the table as she stood, knocking her chair to the ground. "More importantly  _why would you?_  You said that you've known about them for nearly a decade, how many other people have you sent out? How many others have gotten  _injured or have died_  because you refused to tell them just what it would be that they were truly up  _against_!?"

Weiss's face was red following her outburst, her shoulders heaving up and down as she breathed in quick, harsh, pants. Ruby was wrapped around one of her arms, having bolted to hold her girlfriend's side the second Weiss had lashed out.

Blake forced her eyes away from her teammates and back to Ozpin, who remained motionless and unreadable in his seat. She would have thought the man heartless, had it not been for the sorrowful look in the brown eyes that peered over the rim of his glasses.

"You are correct." His tone was soft, almost as if he was a man asking for forgiveness for the wrongs of the world. "I have sent people to their deaths, and it is something I will continue to do until such a day where I am no longer headmaster of this school.

"Why do I do this? For the greater good of all of those lives that are saved by the deaths of those that I send. That is also why I along with several others have gone to great lengths to ensure that the Omegas remain a secret. We've done it in order to protect the peop…"

" _Oh. Please. Shut. The. Fuck. up_."

Blake's ears twitched as her eyes darted away from Ozpin and to Yang, who was now sitting erect in her seat. Her eyes which were as red and as dark as blood were focused directly on Ozpin. If looks could kill, Ozpin would have been  _incinerated_.

" _Disgusting_." Yang snarled through clenched teeth as tendrils of flame danced around the edges of her golden mane. "You don't get to act  _sorry_  for what you've done."

"Miss Long, surely you can…" Ozpin pleaded, as Yang stood her chair combusting behind her.

"I said shut.  _Up_!" Yang yelled as a golden inferno fully engulfed her form. The fire raged and pulsed as her semblance came to life. " _You don't get to talk_!"

Blake jumped up from her seat as the table caught fire from the blistering heat that Yang exuded. She squinted, shielding her eyes against the immense light given off by the golden flames.

" _Yang_!" She cried her girlfriends name out in a desperate attempt to garner her attention away from Ozpin, but it didn't work. All Yang did was start walking towards the man, leaving a trail of brilliant fire in her wake.

" _So_  self-righteous in your  _act_ , if you're so goddamned sorry then tell me where you were when Ruby and Blake were in the hospital!  _Huh? Where were you_!?"

Blake could feel the temperature in the room rising as a result of the inferno that swirled around Yang. Sweat started to coalesce and slide down her skin. The sweltering heat continued to climb with every step that Yang took closer to Ozpin. It felt like the air would combust into flames at any moment.

Yang backed Ozpin up against another table, sweat beaded and rolled down his forehead.

" _Tell me_!" Yang yelled out her face red, "Where were you while Ruby was  _battling_  to stay alive!? Where were you when Weiss sat hunched over Ruby for hours,  _crying_!? Where were you when Blake wouldn't wake up no matter how hard I  _begged_!?

" _Where were you_!?"

Blake could feel her tears join in with the sweat that ran down her face at Yang's emotional outcry. She had never seen Yang like this; there was anger coursing through every one of her words, they were practically doused with it. But beneath that there was something else. Something that made Blake's heart cry out for her partner.  _Hurt_. The blonde's voice was raw with the emotion as she continued to yell out at Ozpin.

" _Tell me_!  _Where_!?"

"Miss Long, please calm down." Ozpin's second plea again went unanswered as Yang's Aura pulsed, unleashing even more heat and flames into the cafeteria.

"I'll tell you where you  _weren't_ ," Yang shouted as she stilled just in front of Ozpin. Who at this point had concern all over his face. "You weren't  _there_!

"If you were as  _sorry_  as you claim, you would have been  _there_! You would have  _warned_  us!" Yang squared her shoulders, seemingly doing her best to dwarf the man that stood before her. "But  _you didn't_. You allowed the two people who  _I care about most in this world to get hurt_."

A sickeningly twisted smile split Yang's lips, "Now I'm going to show you what happens to the people who do that."

Time slowed to a crawl.

Blake watched as Yang's arm drew back, a motion that had long since become familiar to her after their hundreds of hours of training together. The muscles in Yang's bicep and forearm bulged as her hand clenched into a white-knuckled fist.

She knew what Yang was going to do…and she knew that she couldn't allow her to do it.

She knew what would happen.

Ozpin would defend himself; he had already moved his cane into a defensive posture, just as anyone would. And Yang, she doubted, even in her enraged state would barely be a match for the veteran hunter.

So when Yang loosed her punch, she moved.

Blake was in front of Yang in an instant, shielding Ozpin from her wrath. She caught Yang’s fist and grabbed her other arm with her free hand. It was hard, holding Yang back. On a normal day she could somewhat match Yang’s strength. With Yang in her current state however, Blake might as well have been a mouse sitting in front of an oncoming train. Despite that she grit her teeth and held firm.

“Yang, look at me!”

Blake gasped as Yang turned her gaze to her. She had seen what Yang’s semblance did to her partners eyes before but she had never seen it like this. It was a deeper and darker shade of red. Her eyes were truly aflame with rage and pain. Still Blake pushed on.

“Yang you need to calm down,” pleaded Blake.

Yang jerked her arms away, easily breaking Blake’s hold.

“Are you actually defending him?” Spat Yang.

“No,” said Blake, “I’m not defending him. What he did to us was wrong and it led to Ruby and I being injured, yes, but violence does not begat violence.”

Blake was about to say more when a crack sounded through the room. Yang’s eyes rolled into the back of her head as she fell forward. Blake caught her before she could hit the ground. She looked up to find Professor Goodwitch standing there, a rather sturdy baton in her hands.

“That one never could control her temper.” Said Goodwitch.

“Well,” said Professor Ozpin as he moved out from behind Blake and joined Goodwitch, “I believe that is enough excitement for one day, wouldn’t you all agree?”

Blake nodded as Ruby and Weiss walked over. Weiss kneeled down and helped Blake get Yang up, each of them holding her up by one arm.

“If you have any further questions you know where to find me,” said Ozpin as he turned to leave. Professor Goodwitch eyed the four of them for a moment longer before she followed after him.

Once they were gone Blake sighed and looked at Yang. The blonde’s face was relaxed, peaceful even. She doubted it would stay that way once she woke up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit of real talk before I get to the normal stuff. I work at a bank and the bank I work at is merging with another bank over the next two weeks. As a result of this things are going to be incredibly hectic for me. So if you don't see a chapter next week don't be worried the story will continue, I just may be to scatter brained from work to get the work on the fic done.
> 
> So I hope this chapter made up for last weeks being short. If you have any thoughts or criticisms as always leave them below I honestly love reading and replying to any and all comments I get. As always I hope you enjoyed and thanks for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> So that's chapter one, as I stated above I hoped you enjoyed and are looking forward to more! Since this is a fic that I worked on previously I have 15 chapters already finished. Now, that said, some of them will be heavily changed from their original state. A couple of reasons for that are: 1. To fix some things in relation to character relationships and actions. And 2. While I remember some of where I was taking this I don't remember ALL of it. But like I said there are 15 chapters already ready to go, so we will TRY, note TRY, to post one chapter per week. Normally aiming for Saturdays. If that schedule changes, vacation, sick, work, etc etc, I will try my best to inform you before it happens.


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